


My Shooting Star

by fallenforsupernatural



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Animal Shelters, Disability, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-14 21:11:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 49,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1278949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenforsupernatural/pseuds/fallenforsupernatural
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared is a special man who has a passion for dogs, helping people, and a heart as big as a lion. Jensen adopts a dog from the shelter where Jared works, and the two are inexplicably entwined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so, this is my first disability fic so if i don't get the characterization right, i apologize in advance.

Jared was a normal kid. Well, normal in the sense that he was adventurous, he loved to play, and seemed to smile constantly. He was permanently innocent and seemed oblivious to the cruel things in the world. And most of all, Jared made others smile. Jared’s parents loved him from the moment he came out of the womb to the moment he started preschool.

They loved Jared even after the doctor told them the part of Jared’s brain that controlled adult development had been damaged during birth. They loved him even though at 8 years old, Jared’s brain stopped developing.

Sherri and Gerald never stopped loving their son. But somewhere along the road, they started feeling sorry for him.

 ********

“I don’t know what to say,” Danneel said. “It’s just not working.”

“I know,” Jensen murmured. “It still hurts.”

“It will,” Danneel admitted. “For a while. But you’re strong. You can work through this, we both can.”

Jensen laughed humorlessly. “I wish we didn’t have to.”

“We can still be friends,” Danneel said. “Right?”

 _There’s that line. We can still be friends_. “Sure. I’d like that,” Jensen lied. How do you stay friends with your ex-wife? Your high school sweetheart, no less! “We can be friends.”

Danneel patted Jensen’s hand condescendingly. “I’ll pick up my stuff later.”

Jensen nodded numbly. “Sure.”

Danneel gave Jensen one last, sad smile. “Goodbye Jensen.”

Jensen forced a smile. “Bye, Danneel.”

Danneel picked up her suitcase, waved at Jensen, and then walked out the door. Jensen bit his lip and tried not to cry as the only woman he ever loved left him.

 *

“Do you plan to sulk in your house forever?”

“I’m not sulking right now, am I?” Jensen pointed out.

“No, you’re sulking in a bar,” Chris scoffed. “Which isn’t much better.”

“I’m sulking in a bar with my best friend,” Jensen said. “You’re here too.”

“I’m here because I wanted to make sure you don’t drink yourself into a stupor,” Chris replied. “Look, I know Danneel was the love of your life, and you just lost her, and now-,”

“Not helping, Chris.” Jensen swallowed another gulp of beer.

“Okay. My point is, your life isn’t over, Jensen. I promise, I’m not going to let you give up. There’s tons of other fish in the sea. Don’t count yourself out before you even give it another try.”

“I don’t _want_ another try. I want Danneel.” Jensen thumped his head on the bar.

“You and Danneel have had problems since you got married. I mean, you were best friends, and then you fell in love and that was great. But then you got married and it became forced. The love just… vanished. You can try and mend your friendship, Jenny, but your marriage is over.”

“Don’t call me Jenny,” Jensen said tiredly. “Let me pretend that I can fix this.”

“Even though you’re well aware you can’t?”

“Let me sulk, Chris.”

Chris put an arm around his friend. “First we’re going to get drunk. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe it might help.”

Chris clinked his bottle against Jensen’s. “Well, here’s to the horrible headaches we’re going to have tomorrow.”

Jensen smiled at Chris. “Here’s to forgetting ex-wives.”

* 

Jensen really regretted getting drunk. He still felt the pain of Danneel divorcing him, but now it came with a headache and intense nausea. Getting drunk really was not worth the hangover that came the next day. And Jensen never learned that. He pulled the covers further over his head and tried to resist the urge to jump up and hurl the contents of his stomach into the toilet. “Kill me,” Jensen muttered. “It’s gonna be less painful that this hangover.”

The phone rang by his head. Jensen groaned at the noise. It sounded like a marching band was drumming through his head instead of his phone ringing quietly. “What could be so important you’re calling me on a Saturday?”

“Good morning, sunshine.”

Jensen groaned. “Steve, I hate you.”

“You’re certainly in a good mood this morning.”

“Why? Why are you calling me?”

Steve chuckled. “Chris told me about your exciting night last night.”

“So you decided to call me?”

“I wanted to enjoy your misery.”

“What a true friend,” Jensen said sarcastically.

“Love you too, Jenny. Hey, you wanna go out for a drink tonight?”

Jensen hung up on Steve’s laughter. He pushed himself out of bed and grabbed his sweatpants. _Advil, Advil, Advil_. Jensen clunked down the stairs but barely reached the kitchen when the beers and nachos decided to make a reappearance. Jensen barely made it to the bathroom when he doubled over the toilet. “Ugh,” Jensen dropped his head to the toilet seat. “Worst morning ever.”

He spent a few more minutes throwing up everything he ate Friday night. When he could stand up without wanting to puke his guts out, Jensen rinsed out his mouth and brushed his teeth. His throbbing headache reminded Jensen why he came down in the first place.

He stumbled into the kitchen and rummaged around in the cabinets to find his bottle of Advil. “Not feeling so hot, huh?”

Jensen jumped at the voice. “Josh?”

“Hey, little brother.” Josh handed Jensen a glass of water. “I got a call from Chris saying my little brother got trashed last night. So I decided to stop by and take care of you.”

“Since when do you help me when I get drunk? Usually you take a picture and send it to Mackie.” Josh looked uncomfortable and Jensen groaned. “You heard about Danneel.”

“I’m sorry, Jensen. I know you really liked her.”

Jensen snorted. “I ‘really liked her’. Enough to date her all throughout high school and college, propose to her when I graduated for college, _marry_ her, only to get divorced two years into our marriage.”

“Hey, you were together since you were 15. That’s 11 long years, Jensen.”

“And as soon as I decided to really commit to our relationship, she decides she doesn’t want a part in it. I wanted _kids_ , Josh! I hadn’t even thought about having a family until I proposed to Danni. I had it all planned out, too. We’d buy a house together, have a few kids, maybe get a pet, and live happily ever after.”

Josh looked at him with pity. “I’ll make breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“It’ll do you good to eat, Jensen. Just a little bit. And hey, it’s Saturday! You don’t have to go in and work. You can just sit and home and sleep.”

“Yeah. I can sit in my room and stare at all of the things Danneel has to come and pick up.” Jensen didn’t mean to be rude to Josh; his brother was only trying to help. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Josh shoed Jensen to the table. “Sit. I’ll cook.”

The smell of eggs and bacon began to fill up the house. Danneel hated bacon, so the last time Jensen had eaten it must have been months ago. He missed the fatty breakfast food.

The sizzle of bacon calmed Jensen down. The Advil helped a little with Jensen’s headache and he already felt the pain dull. He felt like falling back asleep on the table, but his phone rang. He glanced at his cellphone, but the screen was still dark. No one called his landline anymore, except for his parents and a few of Danneel’s friends. “Motherfucker. Josh, can you get it?”

“I think this is a call you want to take yourself, Jenny!”

“Don’t call me that.” Jensen grabbed the phone off its hook. “Hello?”

“Hey, baby, how are you?” His mom’s voice exuded sympathy. Jensen shot Josh a dirty look and his older brother shrugged, mouthing, “What can you do?”

“Hi mom,” Jensen said. “How are you?”

“I’m good. I was thinking, actually, maybe you should come over for dinner tonight! We haven’t had a family dinner in a while, and we only live a few minutes away from each other…”

“I swear to god, if this is about Danneel, mom, I’m hanging up.”

“Oh, don’t be in such a bad mood about this!” Donna protested. “Josh called me and said you went out to a bar with Chris so I _knew_ you must be feeling bad and then Steve called and asked if I could send someone over.”

 _Can’t swear to your mom_ , Jensen reminded himself. “I’m okay, really, I am. Josh is here making breakfast and then I think I’m going to clean the house.”

“Do you want help?”

“No, that’s okay. I can make Josh help me.”

“And about dinner tonight-,”

“Maybe tomorrow, mom. I just want to sleep today.”

“Of course. The pain is still fresh. It’s a real shame, too, I loved that girl.” Jensen could see Donna’s frown. “And is there any way you can patch things up?”

“She made it pretty clear it was over,” Jensen said. “We’re going to try and be friends, so you might still see her around.”

“Oh, excellent. Well, feel better, honey. Do you need me to make you a pie or something? I can bring dinner over today!” Donna offered.

“I think I’m just gonna order a pizza and call that good.”

“Alright. I love you, Jensen.”

“I love you too, mom.” Jensen hung up and glared at Josh. “You told _mom_?”

“What was I supposed to do? You and Danneel are getting a divorce and you think I can keep it from our mother? If we kept it from her, all hell would break loose.”

“Josh,” Jensen started. “I’m hungover, my heart feels like it was ripped out of my chest, and no matter how many times I say ‘I’m okay’ everyone knows I’m not. I really appreciate you being here and making breakfast, but I just want to be alone.”

Josh turned off the stove. “Breakfast’s ready.” He pulled Jensen into a hug. “I just hate to think of you alone in here.”

“Hey, I’ll get some sleep like this. Go back home to Allie and Katie.”

“I swear, Katie loves you more than me.”

“That’s because I spoil her. Her dad is responsible, but her uncle Jensen can shower her with gifts.”

“You’re dangerous around my daughter. She’s only 7, Jense, wait a little longer to manipulate her.”

“Tell Ali I say hi,” Jensen said. “Katie too.”

“Promise you’ll call if you need something.”

“Promise.” Jensen forced a smile at his brother. “See you later.”

Josh rolled his eyes at the obvious dismissal but exited Jensen’s house with a, “Call me if you need me!”

Jensen loved when his house was quiet. There wasn’t any yelling or an annoying news anchor narrating the world’s problems. Jensen had enough problems of his own, he didn’t need to be bothered with other people’s.

Jensen did say he was going to clean up. He decided to start with their bedroom, separating Danneel’s clothes from his and resisting the urge to keep one of her old shirts as a reminder.

But even Jensen wasn’t that pathetic.

Hours later, Jensen had created a pile of Danneel’s soft sweaters and spiky shoes in the middle of the room. Jensen didn’t have any boxes. “I should go to the store and buy some,” Jensen said to himself. But that would require leaving the house and Jensen wasn’t up for that just yet.

Jensen went into the bathroom to clear out Danneel’s hundred products. It seemed like there were dozens of shampoos and conditioners and Jensen wondered why anyone would even need all of these. Half of the names were in French. Jensen snorted. You could always charge more for something if you put a French word in the name, like that automatically made it better.

He lost count of how many hours he took sorting out Danneel’s things. Jensen folded her clothes into neat piles and sealed the extra makeup and hair products into bags. He picked up all her photos and placed them upside down. Jensen didn’t want to wake up every morning to see Danneel’s bright smile. He just couldn’t.

The door slammed open and Jensen jumped. “Why can’t people just leave me _alone!_ ” Jensen yelled from his room. “I just want to be alone!”

“Tough.” The voice of his little sister was the first person he’d actually be grateful to see. Mackenzie was stubborn and realistic and wouldn’t waste any time telling Jensen everything was okay when it so obviously wasn’t.

“Hey, Mackie.” Jensen was sitting cross-legged surrounded by a pile of Danneel’s things when she entered her room.

“You’re pathetic,” Mackenzie said.

“Mac, I’ve been with Danneel for 11 years and yesterday she dumped me. I’m pathetic, divorced, hungover, and if one more person asks me if I’m okay, I’m gonna start throwing punches.”

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to ask,” Mack promised. “It’d be a waste of both our time. I’m here to get drunk with you.”

“No, don’t even mention alcohol,” Jensen whined. When Mackenzie started laughing, Jensen glared at her. “Chris told you, didn’t he?”

“I begged him to take pictures, but apparently your sulking was too pathetic for him to revel in.”

“Well, there’s always a bright side.”

“Yup.” Mackie smirked. “And while everyone else was tip-toeing around you and making sure you didn’t break, I actually came up with a _solution_. And believe it or not, it doesn’t involve alcohol of any sort.”

“I’m overjoyed, really,” Jensen deadpanned. “But it better be ‘sleep for a year’ or I don’t think I’m going to do it.”

“Do you remember the life you planned out with Danneel?” Mack asked.

“A little too vividly.”

“Well, please recount it for me.”

Jensen looked at Mack like she’d grown two heads. “You want me to tell you my perfect life with a wife that left me yesterday?”

“Well, if you put it like that, it sounds worse that it actually is. But yes, I do.” She waved her hand in a ‘come on’ gesture. “Get talking, big bro.”

 _Maybe it was actually a_ bad _thing Mack was so blunt_. “Danneel and I would buy a bigger house, because this house has room for me, Danneel, and a mouse.”

“And a kitchen,” Mack piped up.

“Whatever. Anyway, we were going to buy a bigger house, have kids, and get a pet.”

“Now which of those things can’t you do anymore?”

Jensen gave her a weird look. “All of them?”  
“No!” Mack hit his arm. “You can get a pet.”

Jensen just looked at her. “Are you implying I get an animal? I work for 11 hours every day so the animal would be all alone. I don’t know how to take care of a pet! I can barely take care of myself! It’d probably die in the first month.”

“Not if you got a cat.”

“I’m not a cat person.”

Mack sighed. “Look, there’s this awesome shelter a few blocks over. James just got a dog there and he loves it. The animals don’t have a home and they need one, and you don’t have anyone to come home to, so you need one! It’s perfect!”

“So your boyfriend just got a dog and claims that it’s the best thing ever and now I have to get one?”

Mack sighed. “Look, Jensen. You’re lonely and those sweet little dogs are lonely. It’ll be the perfect solution!” Jensen started to shake his head and Mack grabbed his hand. “Just think about it, Jensen. Just for a few days. Plus, it might be nice to have something else on your mind other than the divorce.”

Jensen groaned. “What’s it called?”

Mack’s face lit up. “Ferris Shelter. Samantha Ferris runs it, and apparently she’s the kindest person ever. Which makes since, because she runs an animal shelter.”

“Look, if I go to the shelter—not that I am—and look at the animals, will you get off my back?”  
Mack smirked smugly. “Sure. Just go to the shelter and pick out a dog and I’ll get off your back about Danneel.” She hopped up. “I’m going to let you sit and mope over Danneel’s things now. I’m gonna go help mom for the dinner she’s bringing over to you tonight.”

“I said I was okay with pizza!”

“And you really thought she’d listen?” Megan retorted. “Really, Jensen, it’s like you don’t know her at all. Have fun at the shelter picking out a dog!”

“It’s a hypothetical situation!” Jensen yelled at her retreating back. “I never said I would!”

Jensen looked back at the piles of clothes that belonged to a woman he’d never see again. “I am a little pathetic.” The clock said it was only 1:00, so he still had a few hours until Chris would come banging at his door with Jensen’s parents in tow. “What the hell.”

That’s how Jensen found himself sitting in his car outside Ferris Shelter, cursing Mack for telling him about the place. _Can’t really sit in the car all day_. Jensen put his hand on the door handle and decided maybe he could stay in the car just a little longer.

“Seriously?” Jensen wondered out loud. “I’m sitting in my car. Good. Talking to myself.”

Jensen rolled his eyes at himself and got out of the car. The shelter looked inviting, with a large yard around it and sort of a homey feel. The building was a little run down, but for the most part seemed like a perfect place for a dog to be.

A little bell chimed above his head when Jensen opened the door. The girl sitting at the desk looked to be in her mid-twenties. She was typing in her computer with a stack of papers next to her. She looked professional, even though she was young.

The laughing woman looked up when Jensen entered. “Hi! I’m Sandy. Welcome to Ferris Shelters.”

“Jensen Ackles,” Jensen introduced.

“I’m Sandy.” She blushed. “Oops, I already said that. I’m better with papers than people.” She waved the stack of folders.

“Well, me too,” Jensen replied.

“I’m sorry I’m a little out of sorts, I’m usually in the back. Jared is usually the one greeting people but he’s in the back with Oscar.”

 “Oscar?” Jensen couldn’t help but ask.

“Oscar came in a few weeks ago.” Sandy clarified, “A dog. Someone dropped him off outside with a broken leg and matted fur. It looks like he’d been bleeding. Our guess was a car crash with a guy that didn’t stick around to see if the dog was okay. He was hurt really bad and for a while we didn’t think he would make it. Jared was determined for that dog to live, though.” Sandy’s expression darkened. “I _hate_ people that abuse animals. It makes me sick.”

“I don’t understand why you’d want to,” Jensen agreed. “It just doesn’t make sense. All animals ever do is love you.”

Sandy grinned. “You and Jared would get along famously. He’d cut off his own arm if it would save a dog, I swear.”

“He sounds passionate.”

“He is. He’s a giant ball of energy.” Sandy laughed. “But you didn’t come here to hear about that. You want to adopt a dog, I’m assuming.”

“I think so,” Jensen said. At Sandy’s raised eyebrow, Jensen said, “I’m sort of lonely. And my sister said that a shelter dog needs a home, and I need a friend. I always wanted a pet, I just assumed…” _It would be with Danneel_ , “It would be later in life.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place. Do you want to look around?”

“Yeah, that’d be awesome.”

A man came out from behind the counter. “Oscar can walk again! He shouldn’t walk too much, but he can stand a limp a little. You should have seen Jared’s face!”

“That’s awesome!” Sandy glanced at Jensen. “Is Jared coming up?”

 “Oh, yes, but he had to put Oscar back.”

“Jared sounds caring,” Jensen said.

Sandy nodded. “Jensen…” She pulled Jensen closer. “Jared is very passionate and loving, almost like a child.”

“I know, you told me.”

Sandy looked frustrated. “No, he-,” Sandy stopped when a giant man came into the room. Jensen wasn’t short, but this man was at least two inches taller than Jensen. “Hi, Jared!”

Jared beamed at Sandy and Jensen saw he had big dimples. “Oscar’s getting better.”

Jensen wondered why Sandy was smiling at Jared the same way Jensen smiled at Katie. It seemed strange that someone as tall and as old as Jared—he didn’t look any younger than Jensen—seemed to be treated the same as the girl considerably younger than him. “Jared, can you take Mr. Ackles back to look at the dogs?”

Jared turned his startling bright smile on Jensen. “Come with me!” He held his hand out for Jensen and after a moment of hesitation, Jensen took it.

Jared led Jensen past the front desk and into a long hallway. There were cages on either side. As the pair wandered down the walkway, Jared narrating the dogs’ stories and Jensen staring sadly into the big brown eyes of dozens of dogs. Each one of them seemed to beg, _take me home! Please! I’ll love you forever!_ Jensen always hated the ASPCA commercials and listen to Sarah McLachlan talk while sad dogs watched him from the TV screen. Jensen always thought they were exaggerating until he saw the dogs in their cages.

“It’s sad,” Jared said, stopping suddenly. “All these dogs and no one to love them.”  

Jensen wished he could take all of them home. “This is so sad,” Jensen said. He felt his eyes dampen. “Fuck, now I’m gonna cry.”

Jared squeezed his hand and Jensen didn’t realize they were still entwined. “Don’t cry. The dogs don’t like it when people cry.” Jared’s palm was big and comforting, so Jensen didn’t bother tugging his hand away.

Jensen remembered Sandy talking about Oscar, the dog in the car crash. “Where’s Oscar?”

Jared’s dimples popped out. “Here.” Jared led Jensen by his hand to the end of cages. The other dogs had been barking and standing up to try and reach Jensen and Jared, but Oscar sat meekly on his blanket. “He’s hurt.”

Oscar raised his head when he saw Jensen. Something about the sweet little pup made Jensen’s heart hurt and Jensen knew right then that Oscar was the dog he wanted. “He’s sweet,” Jensen said softly.

Jared was looking at Jensen funnily and he asked, “What is it?”

Jared blushed. “He doesn’t like many people. He growls at everyone ‘cept me. And you.”

“How much is he?”

“You don’t pay,” Jared said.

“Then how do I get the dog?” Jensen asked Jared.

“You find him and then you love him,” Jared explained simply. He acted like things were so simple, with a childish look in his eyes that rivaled the one in Katie’s eyes. It was a little unnerving at the same time it was endearing.  

“Well, I think I want Oscar.” Jensen reached into the cage and the dog bumped his nose into Jensen’s hand. “Yeah, I want Oscar.”

“He’s lonely,” Jared said. “You look lonely too.” Jensen looked at Jared and he blushed. “I’m sorry. My momma says I say the wrong things sometimes. She says I have to think before I say things but I always forget.”

There was something about Jared’s innocence that reminded Jensen of a puppy. “Well, you’re right. I am lonely,” Jensen admitted.

Jared brightened considerably. “You should get Oscar. Then you both won’t be lonely.”

Jensen stroked Oscar’s soft fur again. “When will his leg be better?”

“Soon. Do you want me to get Sandy?” Jared asked. “Then you can take Oscar home.”  

“Yeah, thanks Jared.” Jensen smiled gratefully at the man and he beamed back.

“I’ll be right back!”

Jensen kept stroking Oscar through the cages. “We’re going to make a new home, buddy,” Jensen promised. “Where we can heal together.”

Sandy returned and tapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll have to go over some stuff before you can take Oscar home. Just a few questions to make sure Oscar will have a good life there. Not that we don’t trust you, it’s just shelter policy. Jared likes you, so I’m sure you’ll get to take the dog home no matter what.”

“Awesome.”

Sandy handed Jensen the clipboard. “Just fill out your basic information and then we can get Oscar to go home with you.”

Jensen filled out the questions in the waiting room of the shelter. Address, phone number, name, former experience with dogs, house or apartment, backyard or not, reason for wanting a dog. Jensen didn’t know how to answer the question professionally, so he answered honestly. _I need a companion, and the dog needs a home._

Jared sat down next to Jensen when he was filling out the sheet. “I’m glad Oscar’s getting a home.”

“Yeah?” Jensen looked up at Jared. His bright smile was impossible to ignore.

“A lot of people ignore the old or injured dogs. They look straight for the puppies. They’re cute and I love them, but the big dogs need homes too.”

Jensen filled out the last blank spot, which required his best method of contact. “Well I hope I give Oscar what he needs.”

“Oscar likes you. And I like you. You have a really wonderful smile.” Jared blushed. “I’m sorry, I talk too much.”

“Hey,” Jensen said. “I like it. And I think you have a wonderful smile, too.”

Sandy re-entered the room. “I’m supposed to look over your information now. And technically I need to make a house visit. Just so I can make sure that it’s safe for Oscar.”

“Sure,” Jensen replied. “I work Monday-Saturday, though.”

“If you don’t mind, I can come right now,” Sandy offered. “Then you can come get Oscar tomorrow after work.”

Jensen perked up. “Yeah, that sounds awesome. My car’s out in front, I can give you a ride.”

Jensen turned around to say goodbye to Jared. He looked a little forlorn. “Bye, Jared,” Jensen said softly.

“Will I see you again?” Jared blurted.

“Um, I’m not sure,” Jensen admitted. “I’m coming back to get Oscar tomorrow, if Sandy approves of my living conditions. I might see you then.”

“Okay,” Jared brightened.

His voice forced a smile onto Jensen’s face too. “Okay.”

*

When Jensen and Sandy were in the car, she kept shooting Jensen suspicious looks. “What is it?” Jensen asked. “You’re staring at me.”

“What do you want with Jared?”

“I don’t—I don’t want anything with him! Sandy, I met him an hour ago. Tomorrow I’m going to pick up Oscar from the shelter and see him. Honestly, I’m not looking to hurt him or anything.”

“You know Jared’s different, don’t you?”

“I did think there was something off,” Jensen admitted.

“He’s not _off_. He’s different. He thinks differently than we do. He’s very loving.”

“He’s like a child.” Jensen glanced at her. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. All I know is that if you hurt him, I’ll cut off your balls.”

“Calm down! I probably won’t even see him again after tomorrow.”

“Good. He’s been hurt by enough people.”

Before Jensen could ask what she was talking about, they’d reached Jensen’s house and Sandy was getting out of the car. “Show me around,” Sandy demanded. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I know you don’t have cruel intentions. I just get defensive sometimes, you know? Chad—the other guy that works at the shelter—and I look after him.”

“And his family?”

Sandy’s face darkened slightly. “Let’s just look at the house.”

Sandy deemed Jensen’s house suitable for a dog to live. “Come pick Oscar up tomorrow after work. We close at 7:00.”

“Okay, I’ll be there,” Jensen promised.

“Good. And I mean it, Jensen Ackles, don’t fuck with Jared.”

“I won’t,” Jensen promised. “Tomorrow will be the last day we interact.”  For some reason, the thought made Jensen unexplainably sad.


	2. Chocolate Cake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to leave comments, they make me happy! and a happy writer is a fast writer

Jared liked Jensen. The dogs are always good judges of people. If the dogs growl at someone, then you’re not a good person. But the dogs didn’t growl at Jensen. Oscar even smiled. His momma told him dogs couldn’t smile, that smiling was a people thing, but Jared knew that dogs could smile and laugh and cry just like humans. Sometimes dogs were better than people.

“Are you excited to go with Jensen?” Jared asked Oscar. “He seems like a nice man. But he looked so lonely. You have to make sure he isn’t lonely. He’s pretty, too. But he looks prettier when he smiles.”

Jared opened Oscar’s cage door and pet the dog lovingly. “Tomorrow you’ll go home with Jensen.” Jared sniffled a little. “I’ll miss you. Do you think Jensen will let me visit you? Just to make sure your leg gets better.”

Oscar barked. “Yeah, he probably will.” Jared hugged the dog. “You have to behave for Jensen, okay? Like you behave for me. You have to love him.  ‘Cuz he doesn’t like anyone loves him right now.”

Oscar put his head in Jared’s lap. “Good dog.”

*

Jared hated going home at the end of the day. It meant he had to lock all the dogs’ cages and listen to them whine as he left them behind. They begged to come home with Jared but he had to say no to them because momma would be angry if he brought home a dog. She didn’t want either, but Jared begged and begged until the little puppy could come home with him.

Jared saw his momma’s big black car pull in. She didn’t like waiting for Jared so he scurried over to his mom’s car quickly. “Hi, momma.”

She smiled briefly at him. “Did you lock up?”

“Yes, momma.”

She sighed. “Honey, maybe I should call Sandy or Samantha, they’ll make sure it’s closed.”

“It’s closed, momma, I promise. Sandy trusts me.”

His mom shook her head. “Well, I don’t trust her judgment. I don’t think she should have left you with such a responsibility.”

“I can do this, momma. I promise.”

“Well, we’re late for dinner. So you’ll have to go home and change quickly so we can make it,” She huffed. “If you didn’t spend so much time at that _shelter_.”

“I like the shelter,” Jared said. “The dogs are nice to me.”

“Sweetie, they’re dogs. They don’t have emotions.”

 _You’re wrong,_ Jared thought. But he learned long ago when to talk and when to be quiet.

Jared’s house was big. When other people saw the house, the looked at it with big eyes. Jared didn’t think it was all that impressive. It was too clean. The shelter was messy and dirty and loud, but it was happy. His house wasn’t happy.

His momma ushered him inside. “Go on, Jared, change quickly. I already put clothes out on your bed, sweetie.”

Jared could pick out his own outfits, he knew that stripes and polka dots don’t match and he couldn’t wear sweatpants in public. Jared wasn’t dumb. But his momma still picked out his clothes like he was a little kid.

Jared didn’t like the dress pants his momma put out. He hardly wore them because he didn’t go out to fancy restaurants very often. Jared knew it was because of him and he knew his parents were disappointed. Jared didn’t like the shirts with buttons. They were itchy and made Jared look like a little kid. But he put on the uncomfortable outfit anyways, because that’s what momma said and she only wanted the best for Jared.

“I’m ready, momma,” Jared told her.

His mom adjusted Jared’s collar. “Well, let’s get going then. The rest of the family is already at the restaurant.”

Jared nodded. “Okay, momma.” He looked around. “Where is Sadie?”

“I locked her downstairs.”

“No, momma, she doesn’t like being locked up!” Jared protested. “You can’t keep her down there.”

“Come on, Jared, we’re late. We can worry about your dog later.” His mom ushered him out the door and Jared watched the stairs leading to the room that held his poor, sweet puppy.

The restaurant was one of the fancy restaurants that Jared’s parents never took him too because they thought he would make a mess. Jared was determined to prove them wrong.

“Come on, Jared,” His mom hurried him into the restaurant. “The others will be upset waiting for us.” She had a tight grip on her wrist, like she assumed Jared would wander off if she released him.

Megan was waiting for them in the entrance of the restaurant. “Hi momma.” She smiled brightly at Jared. “Hey, Jare.”

Jared scooped Megan into a hug. He liked spending time with Megan best. She was pretty and always smiling and so Jared smiled with her. “Where are they?” Momma asked briskly.

“Sitting down. Calm down, Momma, no one’s mad you’re late.” Megan held Jared’s hand but it was gentle and comforting. “You’ll get wrinkles if you worry so much,” Megan warned.

Jared’s momma ignored them and followed Megan to the table quietly. “Sorry we’re late,” She apologized. “We got held up.” Everyone’s eyes looked briefly to Jared and he ducked his head. He didn’t mean to make them late.

“It’s alright, Sherri, we just ordered drinks.” Jeff’s girlfriend, Caroline, looked prettier in the candlelight. Jeff had his arm on the back of her chair and looked at her the way daddy looks at momma. Caroline didn’t look at Jared much.

“How was work?” Momma asked Daddy.

 “Long. Clients never seem to stop needing more,” Daddy said with a sigh. Jared knew his Dad did something important, but no one ever explained it to him. _Don’t worry_ , they told Jared. _It doesn’t concern you_.

“Well, we’re here to relax,” Caroline said. She and Jeff exchanged a secret look and Jared wondered what it meant.

“How was your work, Jared?” Megan asked him. “Did you get any new dogs?”

“No new dogs,” Jared told her. “But I met someone!” Jared blurted.

Jeff raised an eyebrow. “You _met_ someone?”

Megan glared at Jeff but Jared didn’t understand why. Jared didn’t think it was a bad thing to find a new friend. “His name is Jensen.”

“What does he want with you?” Daddy asked. Megan looked upset again but Jared didn’t know what there was to be angry about.

“He wants Oscar,” Jared told them. They gave him confused looks. Jared thought he’d told them about Oscar before but he was wrong.

Megan sighed. “Oscar, the dog with the broken leg?” She patted Jared’s thigh. “Jensen adopted him?”

“Yup.” Jared smiled proudly. “Oscar didn’t growl at him.”

“Because dogs are always good judges of character,” Jeff muttered.

“You’d like him,” Jared insisted. “He’s nice and pretty. But he’s lonely.”

His parents exchanged looks. “Jared,” His Daddy said. “I thought we talked about this.”

“He didn’t do anything, Daddy,” Megan snapped. “He helped a guy adopt a dog.”

“Megan, you’re too young to understand these things,” Momma said.

“No I’m not!”

“Don’t get mad, Daddy,” Jared said. “Meg didn’t do anything.”

“Stay quiet, Jared,” Momma sighed. “Let us handle this.”

“He’s not a little kid!” Megan cried.

“We’re in a restaurant, keep your voice down!” Daddy hissed. Jared knew this was his fault somehow.

“I didn’t mean to cause this,” Jared said sadly.

Megan patted his arm. “You didn’t do anything, Jared. Tell us more about Jensen and Oscar.”

“Actually, Caroline and I have an announcement,” Jeff interrupted. Jared was disappointed he could talk more about Jensen and his pretty eyes, but Jeff looked really happy. Caroline took his hand and Jeff continued, “Caroline and I are engaged.” Momma and Daddy started talking and smiling like it was the greatest thing ever and Jared shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to say. Megan told him that Caroline spends so much time around them because Jeff likes her.

Megan leaned over and whispered in Jared’s ear, “Now we have to pretend to like Caroline.” Jared giggled into his hand.

“Jared, Megan,” Daddy said. “Do you have something to say?”

“Congrats,” Megan threw out. “Can’t wait for the wedding.”

Jeff looked like he was going to yell again, but Caroline put a hand on Jeff’s arm. Jared thought he heard her whisper “There’s nothing we can do about them.” Before Jared could ask, Megan pressed a menu into his hands. “C’mon, we should pick out the biggest things on the menu.”

Jared just wanted a cheeseburger, but this place was fancy and there probably wasn’t even a cheeseburger on the menu. Jared could hardly understand some of what was on the menu. He wondered why anyone would want to eat snails or a salad.

“I’m getting chicken,” Megan whispered. “You should get the same thing as me.” Jared knew that Megan would only suggest something if Jared liked it, so he nodded. Chicken was almost as good as a cheeseburger anyways. At least it wasn’t a salad.

The waiter came back to take their order but Jared didn’t like him much. When Jared ordered, the waiter looked at him funny until Megan intervened. Jared that people would look at him weird sometimes. He always felt small under their eyes.

Jeff and Caroline share smiles and glances all throughout dinner. Jared doesn’t have anyone to share secret looks and smiles with and it makes him feel a little lonely. Megan made gagging noises when their parents’ backs were turned and Jared had to cover his mouth again so they didn’t hear him giggling. Momma told him that he laughs when he shouldn’t and people get upset. Megan huffed and Jared said it was dumb that people didn’t like laughter.

“So, how’s Sandy?” Megan asked.

“Good. She started a new book and she reads when she’s supposed to be working. Sam yells at her for it but her eyes don’t look angry so I don’t think she’s serious.”

Megan twirled her fork on the table. It caught on the tablecloth and fell over, making Momma shoot them a disapproving look.

“I’m gonna miss Oscar,” Jared admitted. “Sandy said it’s good when the dogs leave because they go to good homes. I know Jensen’s home will be the best, but…”

“Hey, you’re really close to the dog. Maybe Jensen and Oscar will come back and visit you sometime.”  

“I hope so.” Their food arrived before Jared could talk about how nice Jensen was and that he was so sure Jensen would bring Oscar back for a visit, just because Jensen was like that. Anyone with the smile like Jensen’s had to be nice.

“I’m glad Oscar’s going with Jensen,” Jared said.

Momma shushed him. “Don’t talk with your mouthful, honey. Chew and swallow.” Jared caught Caroline giving him a disdainful look and he wished that Jeff didn’t like her so much.

“You really have faith in Jensen, huh?” Megan asked.

“His eyes crinkle when he smiles. No one who smiles like Jensen could be a bad person.”

“Well, Oscar is one lucky dog.”

When all of the food was gone and everyone was smiling with the satisfaction of having food in their bellies. Jared’s momma was smiling biggest of all and it looked like sunshine. Even Daddy looked happy.

Jared wondered if they were getting dessert. These fancy places were boring and stuffy, but Jared could always count on them having good cake. Momma said if Jared too much cake he would get fat, but Jared thought chocolate cake was worth it. Jared loved sugar. It’s why Meg snuck two cookies into his lunch every day when Momma wasn’t looking.

“Are we getting dessert, momma?” Jared asked hopefully.

Momma sighed. “Jared-,”

“Come on, mom, we all want dessert,” Megan butted in. “What’s the point of coming to these stuck up places if we can’t even get dessert?”

“Megan,” Daddy hissed. “Don’t say things like that. Someone could hear you.”

“It’s just dessert, Daddy,” Jared said weakly.

“Jared,” Momma said wearily. “Stop acting like a child!”

Jared’s face fell and he hid under his long bangs. “Sorry, Momma.”

“You didn’t have to say that,” Megan snapped. “He can’t help it.”

“She didn’t mean anything by it!” Gerald defended.

Jared wanted to curl up into a ball. He _always_ ruined these family dinners. “You didn’t ruin anything,” Megan assured. Oh, he said that out loud.

“Maybe I should take Jared home,” Momma suggested.

“No, Momma, can’t we have dessert first?” Jared pleaded. “I don’t want to leave yet.”

Momma scrunched up her face like she was going to say no, but Jeff put an arm on her shoulder.

“S’okay, mom, let the boy stay.”

Jared didn’t like being called “the boy”. People called him “the boy” a lot but they didn’t call Megan “the girl” or momma “the mom”. _I_ have _a name,_ Jared thought. He wanted to tell them _._ But it didn’t matter, because people didn’t think he could think for himself. No one had to say it, Jared just knew. Jared didn’t bother protesting, no one listened to him anyways.

Momma glanced at Jared one last time, but she didn’t make Jared get up and he was happy for that. It meant he could stay sitting with Meg and maybe get the chocolate cake he knew they had.

Jared bit his lip. Jeff and Caroline had their heads bent together and Jared just _knew_ they were talking about him. He knew that disappointed look on their face, it was all too familiar to Jared. He didn’t feel like chocolate cake anymore.

Momma ordered for him and Jared resented it a little. No one ever thought he could do anything. She also said that he would be sharing it with Megan, which Jared really didn’t think was fair. But Momma said that was so and Jared never argued with Momma.

Jared immediately felt better when his cake came. Or his _and_ Megan’s cake. He was about to dig in when he heard Caroline’s hushed voice.

“I don’t know why he came,” She muttered.

“Car, he’s my brother.”  
“He’s not—he’s not _normal_ , Jeff.”   
“I know that,” Jeff murmured. “But it’s not his fault.”  
Caroline huffed. “Whatever.”  
Jared pushed the cake over to Megan. He wasn’t hungry anymore.

* 

Jared curled up on his bed when they got home. His momma reminded him to brush his teeth and then went off to make tea. Megan hugged him goodnight but even she couldn’t conceal the pity in her eyes.

“I just want them to treat me normal,” Jared whispered to himself. “Why can’t I be normal?”

Jared felt like he was going to cry and he pressed his hands against his eyes. He wasn’t a baby, he wasn’t going to cry. Only babies cried and he _wasn’t_ a baby.

Jared heard a snuffling outside his door and opened it to find Sadie sitting patiently in the hallway waiting for him. Jared let her into his room and she jumped up onto the bed. Momma always yelled at Sadie when she sat on the furniture, but Jared loved having a fluffy friend to comfort him.

“You don’t care, right?” Jared asked Sadie. “You don’t care that I’m—that I’m different. That I’m dumb.” Sadie woofed quietly in agreement. “Thank you,” Jared said.

When Jared finally fell asleep, his arms were curled around his dog and green eyes flickered in his mind.

 **** 

Jensen woke early to prepare for Oscar’s arrival. He’d ordered a special customized bed online that was supposed to arrive in a few days. Jensen still had to buy food and toys—what kind of toys did dogs like?—and make sure that his fence was safe and there wasn’t anything the dog could run into or break. Jensen decided to call Josh and tell him about his new companion.

Josh laughed for five minutes straight when he heard about Jensen’s purchase. “Why are you laughing, asshole?”

“You—you owning a dog? You can barely take care of yourself! How are you going to keep another living animal alive?” Josh collapsed into laughter again and Jensen glared at him before remembering Josh couldn’t see him through the phone. 

“You suck,” Jensen said. “I hate you. I can totally take care of a dog.”

“Yeah, I know. Only cuz I know you’ll be begging me and Allie to babysit your dog while you go out with Chris and drink away your sorrows.”

“Okay, first off, I don’t get drunk that often. I don’t even drink that often because I always have to be sober enough to make sure Chris doesn’t die from alcohol poisoning. Second of all, maybe having a dog will teach me how to be responsible and mature. It’ll keep me occupied, you know? And then I won’t have time to mope around in sorrow, because I’ll be taking care of Oscar.”   
“His name his Oscar?”  
“Yeah. He was pretty beat up when he came into the shelter and no one wanted him because he’s not a puppy and he needed a lot of medical care. Everyone just wants the little puppies,” Jensen finished, remembering Jared’s mournful words. Jensen had the feeling Jared would adopt every dog in the shelter if he could. The naïve kindness was so obvious in Jared’s eyes, like he never outgrew childhood. It made Jensen wary at the same time it made him want to protect Jared.

“Why are you so quiet?” Josh said. “Sulking?”  
“Shut up,” Jensen said. “I’m trying to figure out how to take care of a dog. Because, as you put it, ‘I can hardly take care of myself’.”

“Ah, you’ll be fine. I was just teasing.” Josh cleared his throat. “How are you? I mean, it was only just yesterday that-,”  
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Jensen said firmly. “I don’t even want to think about it.”  
“I’m just worried about you.”  
“Don’t be,” Jensen snapped. “Getting divorced was the best thing that ever happened to me.” It was a lie if Jensen ever told one and Josh knew it. But he didn’t push the subject and Jensen said, “I’ve gotta go. I’m gonna be late for work.”

“Okay,” Josh replied. “Talk to you later.”  
“Maybe. Bye.” Jensen hung up and sighed. He really had to push the speed limit if he was going to get to work on time. Jensen eagerly anticipated 7:00 to finally own his dog.

 

“Guess I should get some stuff,” Jensen decided. He’d left work early to prepare for his dog’s arrival. The first stop was the pet store, which he managed to find after 30 minutes of wandering around. He’d never had to buy anything for anyone before this.

The woman working at the pet store had long brown hair and was humming softly to herself while she stacked boxes of treats in the corner.

Jensen cleared his throat. “Um… hi.”  
The saleswoman looked at him with a grin. “Hi! I’m Genevieve. How can I help you?”  
“I need to get food—I mean, food for a dog. And toys.”  
“What kind?” Genevieve asked.

“Uh, well, I don’t know.”  
“First time dog owner?”  
Jensen sighed. “Is it obvious?”

“Nah.” She winked. “Not to someone who’s seen dozens of first timers before.”  
“But you see them every day,” Jensen replied.

Gen grinned. “Indeed I do. What can you tell me about your dog? We’ll help you find everything you need.”  
Jensen beamed. By the end of the day, he’d be an expert dog owner.


	3. Walk in the Park

Jared was unbelievably excited to bring Oscar to Jensen. He wanted to see the smile on Jensen’s face and the way that his sweet dog would win Jensen over. Sandy was packing some supplies and about to get into the car when Jared realized she didn’t intend to take him.

“Can I come?” Jared asked.

Sandy bit her lip. “I dunno…”  
“Please?” Jared begged. “I want to see Oscar off! I’ll miss him!” He didn’t tell Sandy he also wanted to see Jensen’s pretty green eyes and make him smile.

“Well… I guess. It can’t hurt, right?” Sandy seemed to be reassuring himself. “Chad!” Sandy yelled. “You good here by yourself for a bit?”

Chad stuck his head out of the storage cupboard. “I’ve got it! Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.” He winked at Sandy and she rolled her eyes. Jared wished someone would smile at him the way Chad and Sandy smiled at each other.

“C’mon.” Sandy hooked Oscar to his leash and gestured for Jared to hold him. “Let’s go meet your new owner, alright?” Sandy cooed to Oscar.

Jared was bouncing eagerly and if he had a tail, it would be wagging as fast as Oscar’s. He was going to see Jensen again! Sandy noticed his bright smile and raised an eyebrow. “I would have thought you’d be upset, seeing Oscar leave.”  
Jared shrugged. “He’s finally going to a good home.” And Jensen would have a dog to love him, a faithful companion and friend. And if Jensen let Jared see Oscar, then he would see _Jensen_. The thought alone sent a trickle of warmth through him. 

*

When they arrived at Jensen’s house, 7:00 exactly because Sandy was never a minute late, it looked like a happy home. All the bushes were trimmed, all the flowers were in bloom, the grass was green—but not half as beautifully green as Jensen’s eyes.

Sandy led Jared to the door and Jared led Oscar. It was a pretty brown door with a knocker. It looked more like a house with a wife and kids than someone with eyes as lonely and sad as Jensen.

Sandy rang the doorbell and Jared heard it ring inside the house. It chimed like bells and the musical sound brought a goofy smile to Jared’s face. Oscar was tugging on his leash to try and sniff everything. Even dogs liked flowers, Jared supposed.

Jared heard footsteps running down the stairs and the door swung open. Jensen’s hair looked messy and he wore sweatpants and a tee shirt with holes in it. “I’m sorry, I totally lost track of time, I should have been here.” Jensen flashed a brilliant smile at Sandy and her cheeks turned pink. Jared wished Jensen would smile that pretty smile at _him_.

“Hi, Jensen,” Jared blurted. Jensen turned to look at him and looked more surprised than ecstatic. Jared’s heart fell a little bit and he tried to duck his head under his bangs. But when he dared a look up at Jensen again, he was smiling softly. Oscar barked and Jensen grinned. “Hey, buddy.” He knelt by Oscar and rubbed a hand through his soft curls. “I’m so happy to see you. I just bought a bunch of treats and toys for you.”

Oscar barked happily and licked Jensen’s face. Jared worried Jensen wouldn’t like that and would ask Jared to take him back, but Jensen just laughed and hugged the dog.

Sandy was smiling too. “Here’s a list of instructions for Oscar. I think you two will be the best of friends.”

Jensen’s eyes flicked to Jared and then buried his head in Oscar’s fur. “I hope so.”

Jared bit his lip and considering asking Jensen to see Oscar. Jensen was smiling his pretty smile and his green eyes had a happy light in them. So Jared took a chance, even those his momma always said it was wrong to ask for things that people might not want. “Can I see Oscar?”  
Jensen looked confused. “Of course. He’s right here.” Jensen pointed at the dog.

Jared blushed slightly. “I mean—just—like, again. When he’s gone.” Oh, that made it sound like Jared was selfish. “It’s okay, never mind,” Jared mumbled to the ground.

“Hey,” Jensen said softly. “What if you did something for me, too? And then we could hang out.”  
Jared thought he would do anything for Jensen, as long as he got to see him and Oscar again. “What?”  
“Well, this is my first dog,” Jensen explained. “I don’t know much about taking care of dogs. So if you help me learn how to take care of a dog,” Jensen patted Oscar’s head, “we can hang out any time. How’s that?”  
Jared grinned and wanted to hug Jensen. “Yes, please,” because his momma taught him to always say please and thank you.

“You have a deal.” Jensen reached out his hand and Jared looked at it questioningly. Jensen blushed slightly and started to drop his hand when he remembered his brother doing the same thing and shakes his friend’s hand.  Jared reached out a grabbed Jensen’s hand before it was gone and shook it enthusiastically. Probably _too_ enthusiastically by the wince and embarrassed chuckle. Jared decided that he liked seeing Jensen’s cheeks pink almost more than he liked Jensen’s twinkling green eyes.

When Jensen looked nervously at Jared’s hand he realized he was just holding it without shaking anymore. Jared dropped Jensen’s hand, cursing himself for making a fool of himself. But Jensen still smiled and squeezed Jared’s shoulder. “I’ll see you soon, okay Jared?”  
“Promise?” Jared asked.

“I promise,” Jensen assured. “After all, I think Oscar will miss you.”

“I’ll miss him,” Jared said mournfully. “But at least he’s going with a good person.”

Sandy patted Jared’s arm. “I’m gonna go wait in the car. Come out when you’re ready, Jare.”

Jared smiled quickly at Jensen. “Can you promise me one more thing?”

“Sure.”  
“Try and let Oscar make you happy. You just look so sad.”

Jensen’s soft smile dropped. “Okay. See you later, Jared.”

Jensen led Oscar inside and Jared felt his heart sink. He knew he’d messed everything up.

 **** 

Oscar looked up at him with curiosity and blind trust. Jensen couldn’t help but think it wasn’t so different than the expression Jared wore. “So, I should read these instructions, huh?” The white notebook paper had a list of when to feed him, when to walk him, and how to take care of his injured leg. The numbers for the shelter, a few veterinarians, and Sandy’s pager for emergencies.

“You eat dinner at 4:00?” Jensen asked Oscar. He felt a little bit dumb after that. It’s not like Oscar could reply, after all. “And breakfast at 7 am… I leave at 6:30 on a typical work day so I guess we’ll have to make dinner a little earlier. And fuck, walks at 3:00? I’ll never be able to do that.” But Allie was a preschool teacher and they got out around noon. If Jensen took Oscar for a short walk during his lunch break and Allie took him for a longer one in the afternoon, they’d be fine. And Katie would love to play with Oscar.

At the bottom of the list Sandy mentioned that Oscar’s leg was still in recovering and he couldn’t walk more than a mile at a time. If Oscar started limping at any time, Jensen was to take Oscar to the bet or the shelter.

Oscar seemed to be smiling at Jensen, his tongue drooping happily, and Jensen fell in love.

*

Jensen let Oscar sleep on his bed with him. He had a pile of blankets in the living room that acted as Oscar’s bed until the real one was delivered. But Oscar followed him upstairs and Jensen was a sucker for puppy dog eyes and didn’t protest when Oscar curled up on the foot of Jensen’s bed, wagging his tail happily.

Jensen stayed up petting his dog until Oscar seemed to fall asleep. Jensen laughed when Oscar barked a little in his sleep.

Jensen fell asleep thinking about Jared’s words, and wondered if Oscar could truly make him happy again.

*

“You look happy,” Chris told him the next day.

Jensen looked up from his desk. “Any particular reason you’re at my work?” He frowned. “And who keeps letting you into my office?”

Chris ignored the question and held up a bag from Jensen’s favorite bagel place. “Thought we could eat lunch together. If you slipped into that stage of sorrow where you stop eating, I’d have a hard time snapping your stubborn ass out of it.”  
“I can really feel the love.” Jensen pulled a cheese bagel out of the bag and grinned. “Yay! Cheese!”  
“I was wrong,” Chris said. “You’re one of those people that eats away your sorrows. I’m gonna have to deal with a fat Jensen.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Let’s eat quickly. I have to get home to walk Oscar.”  
Chris raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Oscar?”  
“My dog.”  
Chris’ reaction was similar to Josh’s. He cracked up until there were tears forming in his eyes. “I fucking hate you,” Jensen said. “I’m gonna be the best dog owner there is. And besides,” Jensen said honestly, “He’s kind of an awesome dog.”  
“Where’d you get him?” Chris asked.

“A shelter. Ferris Shelter. Poor Oscar showed up one day bloody and with a broken leg. No one wanted to adopt him because he’s not a puppy and injured.”

“But you took pity on him,” Chris joked.

“Hey,” Jensen said. “We were both injured and rejected. I thought we’d be a good match.” He glanced at his watch. “I really do have to go. Sorry to run, but Oscar needs to get his exercise.”

“It’s cool,” Chris replied. “I’m just happy to see you smiling again.”    
Jensen agreed. After thanking Chris for the bagel he almost ran to his car. He’d probably have to push the speed limit to get there and back to work on time. Allie had agreed to walk him in the afternoon and Katie clapped her hands with 7-year-old joy. His little niece was so excited about playing with a pet.

Oscar jumped on Jensen when he came home. It had been physically painful to watch Oscar’s sad eyes as Jensen left in the morning without him. “C’mon, buddy, you wanna go for a walk?”  
Oscar yipped with joy and wagged his tail when Jensen clipped on the leash. “Can’t go for very long,” Jensen said sadly. “I wish my lunch break was longer.”

There was a park about half a mile from Jensen’s house and he decided that it would be a nice place to walk Oscar to. It might be crowded with lunchtime picnickers.

It didn’t take more than 30 minutes to get Oscar to the park and home. He didn’t want to hurt Oscar and worried the whole time Oscar would start limping. Jensen would have hurt his dog after one day of ownership.

Oscar looked at Jensen with the same puppy dog eyes when he watched Jensen leave this morning. “Aw, you know I wanna take you back with me. But I can’t bring a dog into the office.” Oscar whined and Jensen considered faking food poisoning just to stay at home with his furry friend.

“I’ll see you in a few hours, okay buddy? And you’ll get to see Allie and Katie this afternoon.” Jensen chuckled. “We’ll see if Katie ever lets you go.”

Oscar nuzzled Jensen’s hand affectionately and Jensen’s mind immediately went back to Jared’s words. _Let Oscar make you happy_. Jared seemed to be so honest and kind but in a strange way it made Jensen’s heart ache.

Jensen shook his head. Jensen had enough going on in his screwed up head to deal with anything else.

Or any _one_ for that matter.

* 

Jensen couldn’t concentrate for the rest of the day. He worked through the menial task of sorting through papers and re-filing everything slowly. It didn’t take a lot of brainpower and it still managed to make it look like Jensen was doing more than thinking about how to reorganize his life.

***** 

Jared was pouting. He didn’t mean to, but when his mother sighed and told Jared to stop acting like a child. “Pouting is for children. If you want to be treated like an adult, you need to act like one.”

Jared couldn’t help it. He was so scared that Jensen wouldn’t want to see him again after yesterday. Jensen just looked sad and Jared can’t help but say what he feels. His momma is endlessly upset with this but Jared just looked into Jensen’s pretty green eyes and saw unhappiness. Sandy said that Jensen needed to heal on his own and Jared thought that if Jensen was hurt, he should probably see a doctor.

Sandy put him in charge of cleaning the cages. It was often Jared’s task, cleaning or playing with the dogs. But never had Jared really gotten the opportunity to _help_. It was another thing that people believed Jared couldn’t do.

Jared was starting to believe them.

But Sadie was allowed to come to work with him and she kept him company while he swept out the cages and made sure that the food bags were stacked up neatly. Occasionally Jared snuck her treats, but only the ones brought from home because the treats at the shelter were for the shelter dogs. Momma scolded him for feeding Sadie treats but Jared had to. Sadie was his puppy.

“Hey, Jare, Chad and I got this. And Sadie’s been cooped up all day, why don’t you take her for a walk?” Sandy suggested. “Fresh air is always good for the dogs.”

Jared nodded and grabbed Sadie’s red leash. He’d had the same one since Sadie was a puppy and it was fraying and torn in some places. If Sadie wasn’t so well-behaved, he’d be concerned she would break it.

Sadie knew that the leash meant she was going for a walk and yapped enthusiastically. Jared stroked her soft fur and wondered if Jensen would let Jared take Oscar out for a walk with Sadie, if Jared asked real nicely.  

Sadie tugged on the leash, reminding Jared that he was supposed to be walking her. Jared put a couple of treats and a tennis ball in his pocket, even though his jeans looked funny with the bulky toy.

Jared hardly noticed where he was walking, just occasionally feeding Sadie treats from his pockets. His mindless wandering was going to get him in trouble someday, Jared had heard it from his momma enough that it was written into his brain.

Jared looked up and they were at his favorite park. There were little kids playing on the monkey bars and Jared wanted to join them.

A little girl came running up to Sadie and Jared watched her slow down right before she put her hands in Sadie’s soft fur. She looked up at Jared with big eyes and asked, “Can I pet her?”  
Jared beamed back at her. “Of course.”  
The little girl ran her fingers through Sadie’s fur and Sadie licked the girl’s face. “I’m Katie,” The girl chirped.

“I’m Jared.”  
“It’s nice to meet you, Jared.” Katie patted Sadie’s head. “Who’s she?”  
“Sadie.”

Jared heard a familiar bark and looked up to see Oscar bounding towards him. Jared briefly wondered if it was safe for Oscar’s leg, but then the dog was jumping on Jared and all the thoughts went out of his head and he just hugged the dog’s curly fur.

If Oscar was here… wouldn’t Jensen be here as well? Jared looked up hopefully to try and see if his green-eyed friend was here. But a pretty blonde lady was calling after the dog and Jared wondered if Jensen knew a blonde lady had his dog.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “Oscar, he usually doesn’t jump because his legs is broken but-,”  
“He knows me,” Jared interrupted. He blushed because he shouldn’t interrupt adults.

The woman looked curious, not angry. “He does?”  
“I work at the shelter,” Jared mumbled. “I took care of him.”  
The woman smiled brilliantly. “Well, he’s a lovely dog. I’m Allie, by the way, and this is my daughter Katie.”

Jared smiled shyly. “I’m Jared.”

“Oh, _you’re_ Jared?”

Jared flushed. What had he done wrong? Allie noticed because she patted his hand. “Hey, no, don’t be upset. Jensen mentioned you.”

Oh, this woman must be Jensen’s wife. It all makes sense. Jared pouted for a moment and Allie continued.

 “He said you and Sandy were very helpful getting Oscar ready and took good care of him in the shelter,” She said. “He was very grateful. I swear, I love Jensen, but he is helpless sometimes.”

Jared smiled at the ground, embarrassed and happy at the same time. “Jensen said that?”

“Yup. He was so excited to have this dog, you know.” Allie sighed and a slight frown appeared. “He’s going through a rough time and I think Oscar will make him feel better.”

“He did look lonely,” Jared agreed. “But it’s not my business.” Momma would have chastised him for speaking rudely. Sadie tugged on the leash and Jared remembered his own puppy. “This is Sadie. She’s my dog.”

Allie knelt and cooed over Sadie. “She’s beautiful.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Allie shook her head. “Call me Allie, sweetie. Any friend of Jensen’s is a friend of mine.”

“He said I was his friend?” Jared tried not to show his elation.

“Yeah. Jensen talked to my husband about Oscar and the shelter very fondly.”  
Jared’s brow crinkled. “So you’re not…”  
“Jensen’s wife?” Allie laughed. “No, I’m married to Jensen’s brother.”

“Oh,” Jared didn’t feeling like pouting anymore and the bubble of hope appeared. “Where is he? Is he here?”  
“No, he’s working. But he didn’t want Oscar cooped up all day so Katie and I are taking him out for a walk.” Allie ruffled Oscar’s fur. “I kind of want a dog now.”  
“You should go to the shelter,” Jared encouraged. “There are good dogs there.”

“I think I will.” Allie stood back up and gave one more glowing smile at Jared. “We’ve got to get back now, but it was wonderful meeting you.”  
“You too,” Jared replied. He didn’t say it out loud, but he kind of wished Jensen had come instead of Allie. 


	4. Sunday Is My New Favorite Day

“So,” Josh said. “Allie met someone today.”  
Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t that be a bad thing? You two are _married_.”  
Josh flicked a crumb at Jensen and Donna thwacked Josh with her spoon.

“No flicking crumbs or I’ll have you clean them all up,” Donna warned.

“Continue with your story,” Jensen said. The family had gathered at Jensen’s parents house for a Monday night dinner.

“Well, he works at the shelter,” Josh said. “His name was Jared. Know him?”

Jensen shrugged. “Sure. He helped me pick out Oscar. Nice, energetic, loves the dogs.”  
“Allie said he was hot.”  
Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Is that something I should have noticed? How hot the guy at the adoption shelter is?”

“Well, you _are_ back on the market…”  
“And I think I’ll probably look for someone with a little less dick,” Jensen replied. “But I do like the kid.”  
“Allie said he easily cleared six feet. I don’t know if that’s someone you can call ‘kid’.”

Jensen remembered the naïve hope and trust in Jared’s eyes. To Jensen, they looked a hell of a lot like a kid’s eyes. “What else did Allie say?”

“Not much. She said he was smiley, and almost as bouncy as an excitable pup.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Jared,” Jensen mused. “I promised him I’d walk with him sometimes.”

“Well, he’ll be nice to look at, at least.” Josh winked and Jensen punched his arm.

Oscar whined and put his head on Jensen’s lap. “I know, Josh is annoying, huh buddy?” Jensen said. Oscar barked and Jensen sniggered. “See? Even my dog knows you’re a pain in the ass.”  
Josh flipped him off at the same time Allie walked into the kitchen. “Don’t do that around your daughter.”  
“It’s Jensen’s fault!”

Allie sighed. “Sure it was. Oh, Jensen, I saw your friend at the park.”

“Josh told me,” Jensen replied, even though he considered Jared more of an acquaintance than a real friend. Jared _was_ childishly sweet, and it was a nice change. Jensen would rather hang out with someone honest and nice than a falsely sweet bloodsucking businessman looking to stab associates in the back like his usual company.

“I’ll stop by after work. Maybe I can weasel out a few minutes early. I doubt Misha notices what’s going on anyways.”  
“I fear that he is an executive in any sort of firm. Be it law, marketing, or a coffee shop.”

“You and me both. It’s a common fear.”

Josh chuckled. “Mishaphobia.”

Jensen laughed out loud. “The fear of Misha Collins having a position of power.” Jensen drummed his fingers on the table. “If it weren’t for Jeff keeping him in line, we’d be out of business for sure.”  
“Fancy executives and your fancy jobs,” Josh drawled. “I don’t even know what you’re an executive _of_.”

“It’s funny, because I’ve told you a thousand times. I’m in marketing. I try and sell lame ass products to lame ass buyers who think it’ll make them millions.” He snorted. “Remind me the next time someone makes millions on a new kind of _toaster._ But it’s an honest way to make a living,” Jensen defended.

“Never said it wasn’t.” Josh smirked.

“Boys, dinner!” Donna called from the kitchen.

“Josh, will you make Katie a plate?” Allie yelled.

“Sure thing, hon!” He noticed Jensen’s smirk. “What?”

“Nothing. You’re just so… domestic.” Jensen quirked an eyebrow smugly.

Josh glared. “Fuck you.”

“Language!” Allie and Donna yelled together. Josh glared at Jensen as he burst out laughing.   

*

Jensen prayed that the topic of Danneel or his divorce wouldn’t come up. It had been carefully avoided during dinner, like mentioning Jensen’s ex-wife had become tabooed. It was nice that they were considerate enough to ignore it only days after the divorce. But dancing around it so meticulously only made it more obvious.

The divorce was the elephant in the room.

After dinner, when it was just Jensen, Josh, Mack and his parents, Jensen finally caved. “I know you have questions, okay. I know you think it’s gonna take one little thing to make me break like glass, but I’m not that fragile. So ask.”

Donna looked at him sympathetically. “Honey, we just feel bad for you.”

“I _know_ ,” Jensen said. “I _know_ she left me and you guys are sympathetic. I appreciate that you guys care so much. But avoiding the subject is almost worse that outright throwing it in my face. I’m not asking to bring it up all the time, but please try to stop dodging it.”

“Okay,” Alan agreed before Donna could say something dripping with pity. “We’ll try, son.”

“Thanks.”

Josh punched his arm. “Does that mean I can ask why the hell you’re still living in a house you built for you _and_ Danneel?”

Jensen shrugged. “Don’t wanna move.”

“That’s okay,” Mack said. “As long as you move on.”

 *****

Jared took Sadie to the park at the same time everyday to see Oscar and Jensen. But it was always Allie and Katie. Jared tried not to be disappointed when his green-eyed friend didn’t come but he always was. Katie was bright and happy and liked to play with Sadie, but it would be more fun if _Jensen_ was there to play with Sadie and throw the ball to Oscar. Jensen could probably throw a ball a long distance.

A week passed by like this but on Friday Allie said, “Jensen will have more free time this weekend. Maybe he could walk with you and Sadie.”  
“With Oscar?” Jared asked hopefully. Jensen _and_ Oscar would be the most fun.   
“Of course.”

Jared grinned brightly. “When is he not busy?”  
“Sunday and maybe Saturday,” Allie said. “Why don’t I have him and Oscar stop by the shelter around this time and you can go for walks together?”

Jared felt like bouncing but restrained himself because his momma said he should sit still in public. “He’d come? Really?”  
Allie giggled. “’Course he would. He’s been looking forward to walking with you.”

Jared’s face hurt he was smiling so big. “Oh good. I’ve been looking forward to it too!”

“Okay,” Allie agreed. “Well how about tomorrow at 3 Jensen comes to the shelter?”

“Perfect.” Jared stroked Sadie’s soft fur. He couldn’t _wait_ for her to meet Jensen.

* 

“What?”

“Jensen’s coming to the shelter tomorrow,” Jared repeated to his momma.

“To return that dog?”

“No, momma. He wants to walk with me.”

Momma bit her lip and looked at Daddy. “I don’t know…”  
“C’mon, mom,” Megan encouraged. “You know it’d be so much fun for Sadie and Oscar to walk together.”

 _And me and Jensen to walk together_ , Jared added to himself. It would be much less lonely with Jensen’s shy smile. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Jensen and his pretty green eyes and the big smile that was so rare.

“I don’t think it’s wise,” Momma said.

“Why?” Megan shot back. “Because Jared made a friend? Because someone wants to hang out with him and Sadie? You’re right, Momma, that’s not wise at all.”

“Don’t talk back to your mother, young lady,” Momma said firmly.

Megan snorted. “Sorry, mother.”  
“What if Megan comes?” Daddy suggested. “Megan can watch Jared and this… Jensen.”

Jared a little bit wanted it to be just him and Jensen, but it would be okay if Megan came too. She smiles as big as Jensen, but without the loneliness.

“I don’t like it,” Momma said. Jared didn’t understand why one walk was such a problem.

“It’s one walk, mom,” Megan said. “We’ll walk to the park and then walk home. I don’t see the problem.”  
Momma sighed. “Please, momma?” Jared begged. “Please? I want to be with Jensen and make him less lonely.”

“There’s no harm in one walk,” Daddy conceded. Momma glared at him like he betrayed her.

“Megan, go with them,” Momma snapped, but Jared knew that it meant Jensen and Jared could go out.

“Thank you, Momma,” Jared said. “Thank you, thank you!” He hugged his momma around the waist and she gingerly put her arms around his shoulders.

“Behave yourself,” Momma told him.

“I will,” Jared promised. “I will be the best behaved person Jensen has ever met.”

“Great,” Megan agreed. “I’m gonna go order a pizza.”  
“Megan-,”  
“Let’s face it Momma, no one actually wants to cook. And everyone likes pizza.”

Jared giggled and Megan winked at him. “Let’s go.”  
Jared followed Megan into the kitchen. “So,” Megan started. “Why the urgency to see Jensen?”  
“Meg, he’s wonderful,” Jared said. “I’ve only met him a few times, but he has these pretty green eyes that sparkle when he smiles.”

“Sounds pretty wonderful.”  
“He doesn’t smile much,” Jared admitted. “When he saw Oscar he smiled. He smiled at me and Sandy a couple times.”

“Alright then,” Megan agreed. “Sounds good enough for me.”

*

Jared had been bouncing up and down since 2:00. Sandy looked at him funnily and Sadie watched him suspiciously. But today Jensen was going to walk with him, wonderful and pretty and lonely Jensen. Meg would like him too, Jared was sure of it. It was impossible _not_ to like Jensen.

“How many times have you met him again?” Megan asked.

“Twice,” Jared replied. It might have sounded silly to anyone else, but Jared knew that even after just two meetings there wasn’t anyone as perfect as Jensen in the entire world.

“What time is it?” Jared asked again.

“2:45,” Megan told him. “We’ve got some time.”  
Jared frowned. He’d been waiting all day for this. It didn’t seem fair to have to wait until 3:00. He wanted to see Jensen as soon as possible, and from Sadie’s anxious whining, she wanted to see Jensen too. Jared knelt down to pet his sweet puppy and feed her a few treats from his pocket.

The bell above the door chimed and Oscar’s familiar bark sounded. Jared bolted up so quickly he hit his hip on the edge of the counter. “Ow,” Jared yelped. A soft chuckle made Jared look up.

“You alright?” Jensen asked, concern in his voice.

“Jensen!” Jared didn’t even notice his hip hurt anymore. He threw his arms around Jensen happily. “Hi!”

Jensen stiffened, but then gently put one of his arms on Jared’s back. “Hey, Jared.”

Oscar barked and Jared reluctantly let go of Jensen to run his fingers through Oscar’s fur. “Hi to you too,” Jared said. He handed one of the bone-shaped biscuits to Oscar.

He looked up at Jensen to seek out his amused green eyes. “Ready to go for a walk?”  
“Lemme—gotta get Sadie’s leash,” Jared mumbled. Jensen’s soft green eyes were hard to look at for more than a few moments. Jensen’s eyes made Jared blush and trip over his words. Jensen just smiled patiently. He didn’t look _happy_ , but the sad, lonely look in Jensen’s eyes wasn’t as prominent. Jared took that as progress.

When Sadie had her pink leash on, Jared’s favorite because Meg bought it and he looked bright against her fur, Jared beamed at Jensen and said, “Ready!”

Someone cleared their throat behind Jared. “Gonna introduce me, Jare?”  
Jared blushed and turned to look at Meg. “Jensen, this is my little sister Megan. Meg, this is Jensen.”

Megan smiled brightly. “Jared’s told us so much about you.”

“Well, Allie’s told me a lot about you guys too.” Jensen offered his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet everyone you.” Jensen flashed that dazzling smile and Megan blushed.

“Um,” Megan cleared her throat. “So, I have to go with you.”  
“Momma’s orders,” Jared explained. Jensen chuckled.

“Well, I don’t have a problem with that.” Jensen looked at Jared and his green eyes made Jared forget all his thoughts. “I thought we’d walk through this park by my house,” Jensen suggested. “I went to the doctor and he said Oscar’s leg was getting stronger so I should try walking longer distances.”

Jared nodded fervently. “I like parks.”

“Good.”

Jensen and Meg talked on the walk over and Sadie and Oscar got tangled in their leashes. The three of them had to stop and work to untangle the dogs several different times. Jared wanted to jump into the conversations but he never knew what to say. Meg and Jensen sounded so… _adult_. So Jared just kicked pebbles along the sidewalks, trying not to hit Jensen. Jared liked Meg, but he wished this could be a walk with just him and Jensen, no little sister.

Jensen turned and smiled at him when they reached the park. It was Sadie and Jared’s favorite park. It made Jared bubbly that Jensen liked the park, too. _And_ he lived close to it. Jared wondered if Jensen was going to show him back to his house.

“Here, unleash them,” Meg said. “I’m gonna read a book. You two entertain these two,” She gestured at the dogs. She found a bench a few yards away and curled up with her book. Momma used to read to Jared when he was little. He liked that.

“Here,” Jensen handed him a tennis ball. “I brought these. I may have bought several cases of these. Genevieve said dogs chew up balls pretty quickly.”

“I know Genevieve!” Jared exclaimed. “The girl at the pet store!”

“She helped me pick out food and toys.” Jensen threw a ball for the dogs and the two of them chased after it. “As I’ve discovered, taking care of a dog is much harder than I thought.”  
“You’re not going to return him, are you?” Jared asked frantically. “You can’t, you can’t return him.”  
“Relax,” Jensen soothed. “I’m not going to return him.” He put a hand on Jared’s arm and he felt warmth radiate from the palm of Jensen’s hand. Jared smiled. He turned to meet Jensen’s green eyes. They didn’t have the sparkle eyes as pretty as Jensen’s _should_ have.

“Are you still lonely?” Jared asked before he could stop himself.

Jensen smiled a little sadly at Jared. “I think it’ll be a while until I’m _not_ lonely, Jared. But for the record,” Jensen picked up the doggy-drool covered tennis ball to throw it again, “I think it might be sooner than I expected.” This time, Jensen’s smile was happy.

*

They didn’t do anything except throw the ball back and forth for a while. Meg stayed on the bench and read her book, occasionally looking up to send Jared fond smiles. Jared caught Jensen watching him with a kind expression more than once and he always ducked his head to hide his red cheeks. Jensen probably would think it was weird to have Jared blushing.

Sadie and Oscar eventually sat down on the grass with their tongues lolling. They refused to go after any more balls Jensen threw, and seemed content to curl up in a sunny patch in the park and snooze. Jared had a strange desire to sit next to Jensen as closely as the dogs sat. Instead, he settled for sitting across from Jensen on the ground while they threw a ball back and forth.

“What’s your job?” Jared asked. He wanted to know why Jensen was always busy.

Jensen snorted. “The most boring job in the world. I sell stuff and sort papers. I count the minutes until I leave.”  
Jared was confused. “If you hate it so much, why do you still work there?”  
Jensen shrugged. “It’s a job. Gotta make money.”  
“Well, it seems like if you have a job, it should be a job you _like_ ,” Jared told him. “That’s the kind of job I would want.” Jared frowned. “If I could get one.”

Jensen nudged him. “Sure you can, Jared. You can get whatever job makes you happiest.”

“I wish _you_ could have the job that makes _you_ the happiest.”  
“Me too, Jared.” Jensen plucked some grass and flung it away from them.

“What would your job be?” Jared pressed. “If you could have the job that made you happiest, what would it be?”  
Jensen cocked his head. “You know, Jay, I’ve never actually thought about it before.”

Jared smiled goofily. “No one’s ever called me Jay before.”

Jensen blushed. “I can stop, if you want.”  
“No, no!” Jared said quickly. “I like it. I like you.” Jensen looked surprised and Jared ducked his head again. He’d done what his momma told him not to. He said too much and forgot that other people don’t like to hear his ramblings.

“Well, Jay,” Jensen eventually said softly. “I like you, too.”

 ****

Jensen had a surprisingly good time with Jared. Allie spoke of his enthusiasm, but Jensen was still a little taken by Jared’s overwhelming passion. It’d been obvious from the time Jensen saw Jared at the shelter that he was a very kind person. But he wasn’t prepared for how wonderfully _good_ Jared was. Unconditionally honest, but he never said anything mean. He wasn’t spiteful or nosy or arrogant.

He was just Jared.

Jensen decided he wanted walking Oscar and Sadie with Jared to be an every week thing. Jared was over the moon with Jensen suggested it. It reminded him of a little puppy getting a bone. Jared had hugged Oscar goodbye, and looked like he wanted to hug Jensen goodbye too. From the hug Jared gave Jensen when he entered the shelter with Oscar, Jensen wasn’t surprised. But he just smiled and waved at Jensen and Megan kissed his cheek. Megan had the same big heart Jared did; Jensen wondered if it was a Padalecki thing to be big-hearted and sweet.

Jensen’s mom invited everyone over for dinner that night, and Jensen complied without a word of complaint. He was still in a good mood from the walk with Jared and the dogs.

Josh raised an eyebrow at Jensen’s unguarded smile but didn’t comment. Allie, however, squeezed Jensen in a tight hug and whispered, “Isn’t he amazing?”

Jensen laughed and hugged his favorite sister-in-law. “He’s pretty great.”

“Does that mean you two will do this more often?”

“And here I thought you didn’t mind walking Oscar,” Jensen teased. “But yes, hopefully. It’ll be hard during the workdays, but on weekends I can see us walking together. It’s nice to get exercise, you know? Get outside and enjoy the weather instead of sitting at home and-,” Jensen stopped.

“And being alone with your thoughts,” Allie finished. “You’re still hurting, huh?”

“You’re as perceptive as Jared.”

“Honey, it’s clear as day in your eyes,” Allie said.

Jensen frowned. “Jared said my eyes look lonely.”  
“Well you are,” She said bluntly. “No one expects you to get over it in a week, or two weeks, or a month or two months.”  
“God, I hope it doesn’t take two months.” Jensen sipped his beer and wished there was something stronger. “I want to act like an angsty teen girl with her first heartbreak for longer than a few hours.”

“And yet, it’s been a little over a week,” Allie pointed out. “Hours after she asked you for the divorce you went and bought a dog. Honestly, I’m concerned what you’ll do when you actually have to sign the papers.”

Jensen debated raiding his parents’ alcohol cabinet. “I’m not even that sad, you know? I was at first. I was fucking heartbroken. But she was right; the love’s been gone for a while. We were forcing it. I just _miss_ her. We fell into this routine and now the house is emptier, and I wake up alone, and there’s no one to listen to my lame jokes or call me on my bullshit. I miss Danneel, Allie.” Jensen picked at his nail. “Not as my wife. As the person I could always count on. I miss that and yeah, I do feel lonely, because for the first time in 10 years I _am_ alone. I don’t even remember life when Danni wasn’t there to mock me or hug me. And it sucks, because I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this hopeless emptiness. I don’t know if it’ll ever go away.” Jensen blinked. It was probably the most he’d ever spoken on the topic. It was cathartic, getting it all out there and acknowledge that no, he wasn’t okay, and he was going to break. He was going to break into a million pieces and there wouldn’t be anyone to put him back together.


	5. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might take longer to post chapter 6 because i'm really busy this week. I'll try and post it in a week, but no promises. sorry :(

Jared didn’t think he’d ever be unhappy again. He talked Megan’s ear off about how wonderful Jensen was and their walk was one of his favorite things that he could possibly do.

“I think it _is_ my favorite thing,” Jared told Sandy. She was filling out papers while Jared sat in one of the waiting room chairs and watched her. “Jensen said we could do it weekly, too.”

“I think that’s wonderful,” Sandy said honestly. “It’s so sweet that he’s walking with you.”  
“And I get to see Oscar,” Jared added. “It’s wonderful.”

“Sounds like it,” Sandy agreed. “Can you go check the cages, Jare?”

“Sure.” Jared didn’t mind checking with the dogs. He could tell them about Jensen and they wouldn’t frown disapprovingly like Jared’s momma did. They would just smile and wag their tails. “Guess what?”

The dogs wagged their tails and Jared took it as encouragement. “I went on a walk with Jensen. I took Sadie and Oscar came with Jensen. He looked less lonely, ya know? He said he wouldn’t be okay for a while, but I think it was a start. I mean, everyone’s happy eventually, right?” Jared frowned thoughtfully. “Right? It’d be awful if Jensen wasn’t ever happy again.”

Jared opened a few of the cages and let the dogs out to stretch their legs. They didn’t run away, just like Jared knew they wouldn’t, but rather sat next to Jared and woofed happily. Jared wanted big comfortable cages for the dogs but Sandy said there wasn’t enough money for it to be possible. He stroked his fingers through the soft fur on a couple of the dogs. “He’s so nice. Sadie agrees with me, she smiled when she met Jensen.”

Jared retrieved the combs from the shelves that Sandy kept the brushes for the dogs. He loved combing out the dogs’ fur because it was always so soft afterwards. Some of the dogs threw a fit because they didn’t like their fur combed. Jared could relate to that because he didn’t like his hair combed either. It was uncomfortable and kinda painful when momma pulled at the tangles in his hair.

Jared started combing out the tangles in the first dog’s fur. Sandy found the dog wandering home, but after two months of posting “do you know this dog?” posters, the shelter had finally accepted that the dog’s owners were gone, and Ferris Shelter took Bone in. Bone growled at everyone the first few weeks until Jared sat outside his cage and pet him and fed him treats until the dog calmed down. Jared had a scar on his thumb to prove it. Sandy called him ornery but Jared just called him misunderstood. Everyone was grouchy sometimes. Jared would like to think he’d be ornery if his family was gone one day but he was left behind.

Sometimes Jared was scared they all _would_ be gone one day, and then Jared would be left alone.

Of course, Sandy would still be there. And his dogs. And maybe even Jensen. Jared smiled happily at the thought of being with Jensen and he wondered if he could ask Allie to get Jensen to walk with him more than once a week. It didn’t seem like once a week was enough to see Jensen, he was very pretty and nice and Jared wanted to spend _every_ day with Jensen.

Bone growled at him when Jared pulled him closer to brush at his fur. “Oh, sush,” Jared told him. “You have nothing to worry about. It’s just a brush.” Jared stroked Bone a little more and scratched behind his ears so the dog could calm down. “I don’t want to hurt you, Bone. I like you.” He rested his head against the dog’s back. “If you want, I can tell you about Jensen and Oscar?”

Bone woofed quietly, less of a growl and more of a huff, so Jared decided that Bone wanted to know about Jensen and his pretty green eyes. “He adopted Oscar,” Jared told Bone. “He’s almost like you. Oscar was injured, though, and you’re just a cranky jerk.” Bone growled and Jared sighed. “You know, if you just smiled more and bit less, someone might come in and adopt you. You’re never going to be taken home with this attitude.”

Bone was silent and Jared decided he’d been humbled enough to stop growling at every little comment. “Jensen has green eyes,” Jared said. “They’re the prettiest eyes you’ve ever seen. Green and bright and they make me smile.” Jared dragged the brush through his fur and Bone closed his eyes peacefully. “He’s lonely. I think Megan knows what made him so lonely but he won’t tell me. You should have seen him when he came in, Bone, he looked like he was going to curl up on the chair and never smile again. He took Oscar home and now he smiles more. Dogs always make everything better, I knew that.”

Bone growled, but it wasn’t a dangerous growl. He just wanted to tell Jared that he was still there listening. Jared finished combing the dog’s soft fur but Bone didn’t move. Jared knew it was no use trying to move Bone, especially if he didn’t want to be moved.

Jared pulled the small poodle, Jamie, closer to him and started to brush out her fur. The curly white fur was harder to brush than Bone’s straight fur. “Sorry if I pull your hair,” Jared apologized. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jamie blinked up at him complacently. She was sweet and beautiful and Jared knew she’d have no problem getting adopted. Not like cranky old Bone. Jared wanted to adopt him himself, but momma had gotten angry when Jared brought her in to show Bone to her.

“Some day,” Jared promised Bone. “Someday, someone will adopt you and love you just like I do.”

 ****

Jensen yawned over the latest pile of paperwork. His eyes were burning and his stomach growled. He’d worked through lunch and called Allie to take Oscar out for a quick walk so he didn’t pee all over Jensen’s house.

Jensen pressed the button on the intercom to call his secretary. “Remind me to quit,” Jensen deadpanned.

Kristin laughed. “Anything else?”  
“Coffee? And a granola bar or something? I worked through lunch.”  
“I know, which is why, like the awesome secretary that I am, I ran down and bought you coffee and a BLT.”

“You’re my favorite.” Jensen took his finger off the button and the connection died. He thought back to what Jared asked him in the park. What _would_ his job be if he could do anything in the world? Jensen hadn’t sat down and dreamed about his future since he was in elementary school. He’d wanted to be a firefighter. He drew pictures of firetrucks and buildings on fire, imagining people calling him a hero as he ran in to save the people trapped inside.

Kristin knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for a response. “I could have been doing something important, you know,” Jensen told her.

“Sure. Except I knew you were close to clawing your eyes out over this mountain of paperwork and you’re very grateful for this interruption.” Kristin placed his coffee and a ham sandwich on Jensen’s desk.

“You have no idea.” Jensen grabbed the coffee eagerly and gulped down a sip, not caring that it burned his tongue.

“You should take a break,” Kristin suggested. “Go home early, walk your dog. And I still want to see pictures, by the way!”  
Jensen pulled his phone out and handed it to her. “There’s some pictures of Oscar on there. I think Mackenzie snapped a hundred when I wasn’t looking.”

“Sure,” Kristin smirked. “It was _Mackenzie_ that took the photos.” She opened up the albums and flipped through the many photos of Jensen’s new addition. “Oh my god, he’s _adorable_! How old is he?”

“5 or 6. No one wanted him because he’s not a puppy, and his leg is injured.”

“So you adopted him?”  
“A lonely dog with a lonely guy,” Jensen explained, recalling Jared’s words from the first time they met at the shelter. “He’s lonely,” Jared had said. “You’re lonely too.”

“He was right,” Jensen murmured.

“Who was right?”  
“No one. Nothing.” Jensen waved it away. “Just remembering something someone said.”

Kristin’s brow furrowed at one of the pictures. “Who’s this?” She asked, holding the phone out. It was a picture of Jared playing with Oscar. Oscar was jumping up on Jared and the man was laughing.

“Jared.” Jensen smiled as he remembered the way Jared had enthusiastically played with the dogs. “He works at the shelter where I adopted Oscar. I didn’t know anything about how to raise a dog so Jared offered to walk Oscar with me and teach me about dogs.”  
Kristin smirked. “Teach you about dogs, huh? What else are you learning?”  
Jensen raised an eyebrow. “I know what you’re inferring, and in case you missed it, we’re both _guys_. Plus, Jared’s… different.”  
“Different how?”  
“Um, he’s just really energetic.”  
“So?” Kristin replied. “You’re as bleak as this office. I’d think you’d enjoy being around someone energetic.”  
“No, he’s just childishly energetic. Like he never grew up.” Jensen rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s different. Special.”

“Oh,” Kristin said. “ _Oh.”_  

“Yeah.” Jensen replied. “Oh.”

*

Jensen still wasn’t used to coming home to an empty house. Having Oscar leap up to greet him made things a little better. The only thing pushing him through the week was the idea of going to the park on the weekends. There was something relaxing about the grass and the wind and the trees. The laughter of the children and playing with Oscar made him feel less alone.

Hanging around Jared and his bubbly personality certainly weren’t doing any harm. Jensen was surrounded by smiles and optimism when Jared was there and the world didn’t seem so grey. It’s like the colors got brighter when Jared was around and the sting of losing the love of his life didn’t hurt as much.

He threw the keys on the counter and filled up Oscar’s dish with food. The customized bed had arrived a few days ago and Jensen put it in his room. Oscar often curled up in the doggy bed when they were going to sleep, but somehow his mutt always ended up curled by Jensen in the morning, resting at the foot of his bed. Jensen supposed neither of them liked being alone.

“Don’t know why I spent 50 bucks on your bed if you’re never going to use it,” Jensen told Oscar as he wolfed down his dinner. Oscar didn’t look up from the kibble and Jensen decided to make his own dinner. His mom had stuffed his fridge full of casseroles and other food after the divorce. Jensen didn’t know when she snuck over to cram every drawer full of dinner and rid Jensen of his microwavable lasagnas, but he regretted ever giving her a key.

No, he didn’t, because she’d been the one to unlock the door the five times Jensen left his keys at home.

He put some of her shrimp casserole on a plate and stuck it in the microwave to heat up. “My faithful kitchen appliance. At least you’ll always be there for me.” He patted the microwave and sat on the barstool next to the kitchen island as the microwaved hummed.

Oscar finished his dinner and padded over to Jensen. His nails clacked on the floor. The dog looked up at Jensen hopefully and Jensen frowned. “You ate already. This is my dinner.”

Oscar looked at him with his big puppy dog eyes and Jensen knew he’d be giving little pieces of shrimp to Oscar while they both sat on the couch to watch Animal Planet. “Stop using those eyes on me,” Jensen grumbled. The timer beeped and Jensen stood up to pull his food out of the microwave. “C’mon, you demanding puppy.”

Oscar followed him happily and Jensen dropped a piece of shrimp on the floor for his dog. Oscar ate it in one bite and Jensen sighed. “You’re a spoiled, spoiled dog, Oscar.”

Oscar didn’t seem to mind that, and Jensen knew that if someone was giving him free food all the time, he’d be alright with being spoiled too.

“We should bake something,” Jensen declared in the middle of a program about gorillas. “We can bring it to the park when we go with Jared and Sadie, make a little picnic out of the whole outing. I think that might be fun.”  
Oscar looked at Jensen skeptically, like the dog knew Jensen’s cooking talents were limited to the microwave and scrambled eggs. “I can bake if I want to!” Jensen told his dog. “I’ll bake right now, you’ll see.”  
Oscar barked and Jensen wondered why on earth he felt he had to defend himself against his dog. Oscar didn’t even know what it meant to bake. Jensen didn’t have a great idea himself, so he decided to call in reinforcements.

“Hey, Allie,” Jensen said when his sister-in-law answered her phone. “So, I need your help.”

 *****

Jared was counting down the days until Sunday came around again and Jensen would go out walking with him again. And it was nice to see Oscar again, too, because Jared liked seeing how well his dog—no, Jensen’s dog now—was healing. Maybe Jared would bring Bone out with him and Jensen would adopt the cranky mutt. Jensen was sweet and nice, Bone would probably like him.

Jared stroked Sadie’s soft ears. They were curled up by the windows in Jared’s bedroom so man and dog could look outside and watch the sun set. When Jared sat in front of the sunset or a sunrise, he felt beautiful too.

“I think you need a friend,” Jared said. “It’d be nice if Oscar and Jensen could be with us all the time. Then you and Oscar could keep each other happy and I could keep Jensen from being lonely.”

Sadie smiled up at him and Jared beamed back at her. A knock on his door startled Jared but he yelled, “Come in!”

Jared was surprised to see Jeff standing there. “Hey, Jare.”

“Hi,” Jared chirped. “What’re you doing here?”

“Not happy to see me?”

“No—I am, of course I am-,”  
“Teasing, Jared, just teasing.” Jeff smiled. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Or rather, someone.”

“Who?” Jared cocked his head. He couldn’t think of anyone that Jared would want to talk to Jared about.

“Jensen,” Jeff said.

A smile broke out on Jared’s face. “Oh, Jensen’s _wonderful_! We’re going out on another walk on Sunday and it’s going to be a regular thing and he’s so pretty and nice-,”

“Jared,” Jeff cut off. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to go out with him.”  
Jared was confused. Momma said the same thing, but he still couldn’t understand why people wouldn’t want Jared to hang out with his new friend. “Why? I don’t understand.”

“He’s just too-,” Jeff frowned. “You don’t know him. He’s a stranger.”

“He’s _not_!” Jared exclaimed. “He’s my friend! He takes care of Oscar and throws the tennis ball really far!”

“He’s a busy man. He’s probably fleeting and selfish.”

Jared glared. “He’s not! Stop insulting him! You don’t know him!”

“Why are you getting so angry?” Jeff asked.

“Because you’re not supposed to talk bad about people you don’t know,” Jared explained stubbornly. “You’re supposed to give everyone a chance.”

Jeff shook his head and murmured something like, “I tried,” under his breath and Jared knew he wasn’t supposed to hear that. “Well, come back downstairs later. We’re going to play Scrabble.”

Jared hated Scrabble because people always picked long, complicated words and Jared preferred using the easier words to spell, which means he always lost. It made Jared feel stupid and he’d stopped liking the game years ago.

“Maybe,” Jared replied. “Sadie likes it up here.”

Jeff sighed again and patted Jared’s shoulder. “Okay, kid.”

 _I’m not a kid_. Jared frowned but nodded goodbye to his brother. Sadie hopped up on the bed next to him and put her head on Jared’s thigh. “Why don’t they like Jensen?” Jared asked her. “He’s wonderful. And he’s nice to me.”

Sadie looked sympathetically at Jared. “Let’s go downstairs, maybe we can convince Momma and Jeff that Jensen is so perfect.” Jared jumped up and Sadie bounced off the bed to follow him.

Jared froze when he heard Momma and Jeff talking in low voices and he heard his name. “He’s just too old,” Momma whispered. “Jared’s still a little kid. Jensen wouldn’t know how to handle it, and Jared isn’t capable of keeping up with that. I just can’t stand the idea of someone taking advantage of my son.”  
Jeff shook his head. “Neither do I, mom, and I agree it’s strange that Jared is so devoted to this Jensen character. But Megan endorses Jensen and he seems to make Jared happy. It’s time he learned to have friends.”  
“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Momma said. “Megan is too young to judge correctly.”  
“She’s a senior in high school. She’s not that young.”

“She’s always been to faithful to Jared. She hasn’t learned that he’s too different.”

Jared slunk back to his room, Sadie following his footsteps. He felt lonely and upset and he just wished that his family would treat him as nicely as Sandy and Jensen did.

Jared slid under his covers and pulled them over his head. Sadie jumped onto the bed but Jared didn’t lift his head to smile at her. His family didn’t think he was capable of anything and Jared didn’t want to get up for the rest of the year.

He fell asleep before the first tears could fall.

*

Jared woke up to Momma knocking on his door. “Jared! Time to get up! Breakfast is ready!”

Jared pulled the covers tighter around him but replied, “Okay, Momma.” He’d wanted to sleep in later and right now it was only 7:00 am.

His momma walked away and Sadie whined from the end of the bed. “I know,” Jared told Sadie. “C’mon, we have to get up. And you have to go outside so Momma doesn’t yell at us for you going to the bathroom inside.”

Jared rolled out of bed and rubbed his eyes. Momma didn’t like it when he came down in his pajamas and Jared had to go to the shelter today so he should probably put on “real clothes” like his momma called his clothes that weren’t pajamas and sweatpants. Jared thought sweatpants should be considered real clothes because they were so comfortable. 

Megan was downstairs eating breakfast before she left for school and Jared took the seat next to her. She smiled at Jared but her smiled dimmed when Jared didn’t smile back. “You okay, Jare?”  
Jared forced himself to nod and smile at Megan. “Don’t worry, Meg. I’m good.”


	6. Saltwater Cookies

The week seemed to be determined now by how many days it would be until he saw Jensen again. It had been five—no, six—days since he’d seen Jensen. But it was Saturday, and when he woke up tomorrow it would be the day he could see Jensen and Oscar.

For now, Jared sat behind the desk at the shelter and watched the unmoving door. No one had come in today and Sandy was in the back with Chad. That meant Jared could wait up front with Sadie and could keep an eye on the dog cages at the same time. Sadie ran around Bone, yipping and nudging him, trying to get the grouchy old mutt to play. Jared watched Sadie’s futile efforts. He knew Bone wouldn’t get involved in Sadie’s antics. The old dog watched Sadie with a scowl on his face, like he couldn’t understand why a playful pup like Sadie would want to bug him.

“Sadie!” Jared called. He didn’t _think_ Bone would bite his sweet girl, but he wasn’t going to take any chances with his puppy. “Come.”   
Sadie looked at Bone with her big puppy dog eyes, asking him why he didn’t want to play with her, and Jared patted his thigh again. Sadie looked at him dejectedly but obediently trotted over to him. “Good girl.” Jared scratched behind her ears and Sadie’s tail thumped on the ground.

“We’re going walking with Oscar and Jensen tomorrow,” Jared told her. “I can hardly wait. Is that weird? Do you think Jensen thinks I’m weird?” Jared started to panic and Sadie butted her head into his leg. Jared took that to mean, _maybe, but_ I’ll _never think you’re weird_.

“Thanks, Sadie.” Jared stroked her soft ears and Bone growled. Jared remembered he’d let Bone out to walk around. “I should let some more friends out for you to play with,” Jared told Sadie. “Bone’s not in a good mood today.”

Sadie huffed. “Yeah, you’re right,” Jared conceded. “Bone’s _never_ in a good mood.’

The bell chimed and Jared looked up and saw Genevieve’s kind face. “Hi, Jared. Hi Sadie.” Bone growled and Gen raised an eyebrow. “Who’s this?”  
“Bone,” Jared said. “He’s sort of grumpy.”  
“I’ll say,” Gen muttered. “I met your friend.”  
Jared frowned. “Who?” Jared couldn’t recall anyone that would want to meet Gen.

“Jensen Ackles,” Gen replied. “He’s _very_ handsome.”

Jared smiled at the thought of Jensen and his green eyes. “He is?”  
“Do you know if he’s seeing anyone?” Gen asked.

Jared’s brow crinkled. “What?”  
“Jensen. Does he have a girlfriend? Or a wife? Or a fiancé?”

“I dunno,” Jared replied. He felt an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach at the thought of someone else being with Jensen. Jensen didn’t belong with someone else. “He just has Oscar.”

Gen hopped up on the counter. “I wonder if he’s interested.”  
A surge of _mine, mine, mine!_ Jumped up inside Jared. “I dunno.”

“Okay.” Gen grinned. “I’ve got more dog food in the car I need help carrying in, up for the task?”

“Sure!” Jared replied eagerly. He forgot all about Gen’s interest in Jensen and bounced out to the car to help Genevieve with the food. She was very tiny. If Sadie stood up she was taller than Gen, and so were some other dogs in the shelter. Jared wondered what it was like being so short.

Jared picked up a bag of dog food from the car and carried it back inside. Gen and Sandy were talking and laughing. They were friends and always shared jokes together. Jared always hung out and felt happy with Megan but sometimes he wished he had the kind of friendship other people—normal people—had.

“Thanks, Jared,” Gen said when she saw him carrying the food. “You’re the best, you know that? An awesome friend.”  
Jared smiled happily. “You’re an awesome friend too.” Sandy and Gen looked at him with motherly fondness, and if Jared squinted hard enough he could pretend they looked at him like an equal.

 ****

“Wow, when you said you were bad at baking, I thought you meant you burned brownies. I didn’t know you were really, _really_ bad at baking,” Allie teased.

Jensen stared down at another batch of scorched cookies, which ended up tasting like saltwater. “This is bad.”  
“I don’t even understand how this happened!” Allie exclaimed. “I was right next to you. I watched you bake these, and they still turned out like… this!”

Jensen frowned. “These are the most disgusting cookies I’ve ever tasted. I’m awful.”

“And Jared’s so sweet that he’d probably eat them anyways,” Allie pointed out.

“And he’d tell me they were the best cookies ever,” Jensen added. “Purely because he’s like that.”  
“The best person you’ve ever met.” Allie picked up one of Jensen’s horrible ruined cookies. “God, you suck at cooking. You’re going to destroy your kitchen.”

Jensen looked around his previously clean kitchen. Flour, egg shell, salt, and empty chocolate chip bags covered the counters and his sink was piled with empty bowls stained with cookie batter. “Well, better your kitchen that mine,” Allie supposed.

“Yeah, don’t think you’re getting out of helping me clean,” Jensen replied. “You’re the one who instructed me to use a different bowl for every fucking ingredient.”  
“Language,” Allie scolded. She hit him with a wooden spoon. “Now. Try again.”

“Can’t you make the cookies?” Jensen whined.

“And let you take credit?” Allie asked. “I don’t think so. Jared wants cookies that _you_ make.”  
“Jared doesn’t even know I’m attempting to make him cookies.” Jensen snorted. “I think I should abandon the cause all together.”

Allie swatted his arm. “If Jared was going to make you cookies, he wouldn’t give up because he burned 3 batches of cookies and all of them came out flavorless or salty. Or if he almost set his oven on fire because it was too hot. Or he-,”  
“Thank you, Allie, I get the picture,” Jensen interrupted. “I suck at baking.”

“My point is, you can’t stop because you don’t get it right the first time. Or the first 3 times.”

Jensen picked up the cookie recipe again. “We need 2 cups of flour.”  
“I’ll get a clean bowl!” Allie chirped.

“Maybe I’ll just buy something,” Jensen muttered to himself.

“You will not!” Allie exclaimed.

“How did you even hear that?” Jensen asked incredulously. “I barely made a sound!”  
“I’m a mother,” Allie explained. “I hear everything.”

“No wonder Josh can’t get away with anything.” Jensen reached for the measuring cup. “His wife has bat hearing.”  
“And apparently infallible patience, because I’ve been helping your whiny, incompetent ass all afternoon.” Allie reached for the sugar.

“I am not totally incompetent,” Jensen protested.

“Saltwater. Cookies.”

“So much for the supportive motherly figure.”  
“I’m not _your_ mother,” Allie pointed out. “I’m your sister in law. I don’t need to mother hen you.”  
“I just got divorced, don’t I get any sympathy?”  
“If you’re at the stage where you’re able to make jokes about your divorce, you’re either in denial,” Allie told him, “Or you’re moving on.” She gestured at the mess of baking supplies on his counters. “I don’t think I have to tell you which one _I_ think it is.”

Jensen dumped butter and brown sugar into the bowl with the sugar. He used the mixer to whip the contents together until they were suitably mixed. “I still feel like something’s missing.” He mindlessly cracked the eggs into the bowl. There was still a picture of him and Danneel on the fridge and it stared Jensen in the face when he put the egg carton away.

Allie handed him the mixture of flour, baking powder, and vanilla for Jensen to pour into the mixing bowl. “Have you thought about seeing a therapist?”  
Jensen raised an eyebrow and turned the mixer back on. “For what?”  
“For Danneel.” Allie checked the recipe to make sure everything was done correctly. “For you. To talk about how you’re feeling with the whole divorce.”

“No, I haven’t thought about it. It seems unlikely, though. Therapy isn’t necessary.” Jensen opened another bag of chocolate chips. “It only says use two cups.”  
“Two cups is a lot of chocolate chips,” Allie said.

“And these are _semi_ sweet. Gross.”

“Every time you make chocolate chips, you use semisweet chocolate chips,” Allie replied. “Otherwise it’d be too sweet.”

“I’m using these anyways.” Jensen pulled out a bag of milk chocolate chips and Allie didn’t try to stop him.

“You’re as stubborn as Josh is,” Allie teased. “I can see why you’re brothers.”

“I always considered myself to be better looking,” Jensen replied. He measured a cup of milk chocolate chips and added them to the mix. “There.”  
“First they’re too salty, now they’re too sweet,” Allie muttered.

“We haven’t even baked them yet!” Jensen defended. “And for the record, the third time the cookies were too salty. The first time they tasted like rocks.”  
“And the second time they were as hard as rocks. I think I broke a tooth when I took a bite.”  
“Yes, haha, Jensen is bad at baking, very funny,” Jensen said sarcastically. He stole the wooden spoon from Allie to mix the chocolate chips in with the batter. “These are going to be awesome.”

“I hope so. I’m not sure how much longer I can stand here and watch you fail at one of the most basic tasks in the kitchen.”

“I hate you,” Jensen said. “I don’t know why Josh married you.”  
“Blackmail,” Allie joked. She took two spoons out of the drawer and handed one to Jensen. “Let’s taste this before we put cookies in the oven, shall we?”  
Jensen took a spoon and dipped it into the batter. Allie followed suit and raised her spoon in a mock-toast. “To failed chocolate chip cookies.”

“And house-trained dogs,” Jensen added. Oscar woofed from his position by their feet.

“Cheers.” Allie stuck the spoon in her mouth. “Dude.”  
Jensen took a bite and his eyes widened. “Holy shit.”   
“We did it!” Allie exclaimed. “You made adequate cookies!”

“I did!” Jensen cried. “I made editable cookies!”

“Put them in the oven. I think this is going to be a perfect batch of chocolate chip cookies.”  
“I knew it,” Jensen said proudly. “I knew the milk chocolate chips would help.”  
Allie sniggered. “I don’t know how you managed to screw it up so badly the first three times. It’s awe-inspiring, actually.”

“Fourth time’s the charm!” Jensen replied giddily. “I’m better in the kitchen that Josh! Yes!”  

“Congrats. That’s no _real_ accomplishment, but if you want to be proud of yourself, by all means, be proud of yourself.”  
“I will be proud of myself, thank you very much. Without your condescending attitude.”

“You know, most people find me charming,” Allie said.

“And most people find me mature and well-spoken,” Jensen retorted. “Let’s be honest, those people don’t know the _real_ us.”   
“I’m kind!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jensen waved her off and Allie smacked his arm. “Ow! You’re not proving your point, you know!”

“I spent 4 and a half hours in the kitchen helping you make cookies for Jared. I think that proves I’m pretty damn kind.”  
“I’ll admit you’re kind if you help me clean up this mess,” Jensen offered.

Allie examined the kitchen. “Let’s get the cookies in the oven first.”  
Jensen agreed, and reached for the mixing bowl that held the batter. But it was too far away, and Jensen’s hand slipped on the handle. The bowl fell onto the ground, cookie batter splattering his kitchen tile. Jensen just stared, but heard Allie’s giggling.  
“Your—your _face_!” Allie laughed. Jensen tried to frown, but ended up smiling along with her and before he knew it, they were both doubled over in laughter.

Jensen wiped tears of laughter away and asked Allie, “Should we start over?”  
“Fifth time’s the charm!” Allie said brightly. “I think we’re going to have to wash the bowls. We’re all out.” Jensen broke out laughing again, and soon Allie joined him.

*

Josh stared at Allie and Jensen’s flour-covered hair and faces. “You two certainly took a unique approach at baking cookies. Most people but the ingredients _in_ the bowl. But you two saw fit to coat yourselves in it.”  
“We think outside the bowl,” Jensen joked. “Besides, we got there eventually.” He handed Josh a plate of cookies. “A thank you for lending me your wife. And because Allie is the nicest and most patient person ever. She’s much too good for you.”  
“Stop coming on to my wife, little brother.” Josh took a cookie off the plate. “Will these poison me if I eat one? Or break a tooth?”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “You’ll be fine, drama queen.”

“Yeah, do you think I’d let Jensen feet my husband something that would cause him damage?” Allie piped up.

“At this point, I don’t know.”  
“Okay, do you think I’d let you feed my _daughter_ something that could cause her damage?” Allie asked.

“Point taken.” Josh took a bite of the cookie and chewed slowly. Allie and Jensen watched him eagerly. “Not gonna like, it’s a little weird having you both stare at me.”  
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Allie scolded. “Are they good?”  
“Surprisingly, yes. Good work, Jenny.”

“Don’t call me that. And thank you.”

Allie squeezed Jensen’s arm proudly. “Jared will love them.”  
“Jared?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, we’re going to the park tomorrow and I thought I might bring something,” Jensen explained. “Hench, the cookies.”

“Mm-hm,” Josh raised an eyebrow at him.

Jensen blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Or rather, I do know what you’re talking about, and you’re wrong. Jared and I are _friends_.”  
“ _Good_ friends.”  
“I have been divorced for four-ish weeks!” Jensen exclaimed. “And Jared’s a guy! In no situation are Jared and I more than friends. Acquaintances, really.”  
“You suffered in the kitchen for hours, making cookies, and still you claim that you and Jared are nothing more than _acquaintances_?” Allie threw her hands up. “I’m never helping you do anything ever again.”  
Jensen shrugged. “It’s my Sunday.”   
“You’re as dumb as a bag of rocks, Jensen Ackles,” Allie stated. “Truly, you and Josh are brothers.”  
“Hey!”

 ******

 Jared was checking his pockets for everything he needed. Momma didn’t want to give him a key because she thought he would lose it, even though Jared insisted a million times that he was responsible enough to keep it safe. Megan stole Jeff’s and gave it to him. Jared also had the house phone number and Megan’s cell phone number. Jared didn’t have a phone so he didn’t quite know how he would use the numbers.

“C’mon, Sadie.” Jared clipped her leash on. We have to walk to the park now. Oscar and Jensen are going to be there and we can play with them again.” Jared beamed at his beautiful dog. “I’m very excited.”

“You’re taking Megan with you, right?” Momma asked.

Jared nodded like a bobble head. “Yeah, Momma, she’s right outside.” Momma nodded curtly and gave Jared a brief hug.

“Go. Be back before dinner,” Momma said. Jared nodded with a smile.

“Bye, Momma!” He danced out the door with the image of Jensen’s pretty green eyes flickering in his mind.

Megan was waiting on the steps outside the door. “I’m gonna go meet up with some friends at the mall.”  
Jared frowned. “I don’t want to go to the mall.”  
“No, Jare, just me. You go to the park and hang out with Jensen.” Megan patted his arm gently.

“Momma said you’re supposed to go with me?” Jared was confused.

“You don’t want me intruding on your time with Jensen,” Megan told him. “You two should have fun together. But hey, you have my cellphone number and I’m sure Jensen will let you use his phone if you need to call me, okay Jare?”

Jared was old enough to walk to the park on his own. He didn’t need Meg. “C’mon, Sadie.” Jared led his dog in the opposite direction than Megan. He could already feel the tree bark and grass and the sound of children’s laughter on the playground. Jared loved the monkey bars and wished he were shorter so he could swing across them again.

Sadie tugged on the leash in an attempt to get there faster. “We’ll get there, Sadie,” Jared promised. “You don’t have to run.” Jared wanted to run a little bit too, just so he could get to Jensen sooner. Jensen and his nice smile and pretty green eyes and freckles. Jared liked him a lot.

The walk was calm and sunny. The sun smiled at him and Jared beamed back. Jensen was going to be at the park with his sunny smile and green eyes, and tell Jared how much fun they were going to have today. And Jared could tell Jensen about all the things that happened at the shelter, and how a poodle was adopted and that Gen visited him and Momma rushing everywhere with Caroline frantically worrying about flowers and dresses. Jared thought it was dumb to spend so much thought on _flowers_. If he had to pick flowers for his wedding, he would choose roses. Big, red roses and scatter them all over the floor. Caroline shot him a withering look when he suggested it, so Jared decided to leave the flower planning to Momma.

Jared grinned when the park approached, filled with people. Parks should _always_ be filled with people who are laughing and sharing lunch on picnic blankets. It’s what parks are for.

He found an empty bench and sat down on it to wait for Jensen. Sadie whined and bumped her head against Jared’s pocket. “Oh, you want these.” Jared pulled out a few treats he brought with him. “You can have one. We need to share with Oscar too.” Sadie pouted. “We share with our friends,” Jared scolded. “That’s what friends are for. If you ate all the treats, you wouldn’t be a very good friend to Oscar.” Sadie looked put out, but she settled down at his feet and watched the sidewalk with Jared. It was 2:00, Jared didn’t _think_ he was late, but maybe they were supposed to meet earlier and Jensen got upset because Jared wasn’t there! Or maybe he’s early and Jensen just hasn’t come yet.

Jared calmed down and waited patiently for his friend to arrive. Jared checked his watch every few minutes, but eventually 2:30 came around and Jared had been sitting on the bench alone for a while. “Maybe he’s not coming,” Jared said sadly. “Or he forgot. Oh no, what if he’s hurt!”

Jensen would never leave Jared sitting on the bench alone. Jensen wasn’t mean. He was sweet and funny and Jared should just sit and wait for his friend to come. Jensen would come eventually. He _had_ to come.

The sun was making Jared kind of sleepy. Sadie had already fallen asleep under the bench, and Jared was almost going to drift asleep too. He jolted up when someone shook his shoulder lightly.

“Jared,” The soft voice said, “Jay, wake up.”

Jared blearily blinked awake. His face lit up when he saw bright green eyes boring into his. “Jensen!” Jared sprung up and hugged Jensen tightly. He was so happy to see his friend. “I _knew_ you were coming!”

Jensen hugged Jared back. “I went to the shelter and waited for you there. It never occurred to me to come to the park until Sandy told me. I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”

“It’s okay. You’re here now, that’s important.” Jared smiled at Oscar. “It’s good to see you too, Oscar.” He handed the dog one of the treats he kept in his pocket. “You look great.”  
“He is healing wonderfully,” Jensen said proudly. “It’s so nice to see him walking normally. Oh!” Jensen shifted away from Jared and pulled a plate of something wrapped up out of a bag. “I made you—us— cookies.”

Jared beamed at Jensen. He made him _cookies_. “I love cookies!”

“They might be burned. I’m not exactly an expert in the kitchen. Allie had to help me quite a bit.” Jensen unwrapped the plate. “Here, go ahead. Tell me what you think, honestly.” Jensen frowned. “Unless they’re awful. Then maybe don’t be honest.”

Jared laughed at Jensen and took a cookie. “I’m sure they’re wonderful. If you made them, they have to be fantastic.”

Jensen blushed and Jared regretted it. He knew he was going to say something that would make Jensen feel uncomfortable. He took a bite of a cookie instead of saying something that could make it worse. The cookies were wonderful! “These are awesome!” Jared exclaimed. “You did such a good job.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth open,” Jensen said. There was no scolding and disappointment in his voice like momma, just light teasing. “And like I said, Allie helped a lot.”

“They’re still wonderful,” Jared insisted.

“The first few batches were just awful.” Jensen shuddered dramatically and Jared giggled at him. His friend was funny.

“Come on. Let’s play with the dogs,” Jensen suggested. Oscar looked at Jared with big eyes and Jensen asked, “Can dogs eat cookies?”  
“No!” Jared exclaimed. “You can never feed dogs chocolate.”   
Jensen grinned at him and Jared felt bubbly inside. “See? This is why I need you around.” He bumped his shoulder against Jared’s. “Stupid puppy dog eyes, I can never resist them.”

“Me either.” Jared petted Sadie’s head. “I brought tennis balls to play with the dogs.” He handed one to Jensen.

Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand when Jared handed him the ball. “I wish we could do this more than once a week.”

Jared’s heart did cartwheels.


	7. Juggling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops this has been a loooonnnnggg time i just had the worst writers block :( sorry, but here's an update!

Jared hid his giggling behind his hand while Jensen wrestled for the ball from Oscar while Sadie danced around the pair and barked. “Give me—give me tha ball! No! Oscar!”

Jared laughed at Jensen tugging and running with the dogs. “You’re lo-sing!” Jared sang.

Jensen growled. “You think it’s funny, do you? I’d like to see _you_ get a dog from these monsters.”

“They’re not monsters,” Jared protested. “Just enthusiastic.”   
“Overly enthusiastic.” Jensen sighed. “I give up! It’s impossible. And my hand is covered in dog drool. Gross.”

Jared giggled at Jensen’s scrunched up noise. “Sadie,” Jared whistled. “Give me the ball.”

Sadie obediently picked the ball up from where it had fallen from Oscar’s mouth and brought it to Jared. Jensen watched him, eyes wide. “How did you _do_ that?”

“I taught her how,” Jared explained proudly.

“Impressive.” Jensen sighed. “I don’t suppose there’s a chance you can teach Oscar?”  
“He’s too old.”

“Can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” Jensen supposed. He looked so disappointed and Jared reached out to pat his shoulder.

“He knows some tricks. He can sit and if you call him he’ll come,” Jared said. “He usually only does it if you have treats, though.”  
“I feel like most dogs need treats to feel motivated.” Jensen paused. “And humans, really.”

“I like treats.” Jared nibbled on a cookie. He wasn’t sure how many he could have. He didn’t want Jensen to yell at him like momma did when he ate too many cookies.

But Jensen just beamed at him and said, “I’m glad someone is eating those cookies. I thought you would think they would horrible. And if you didn’t eat them, I would eat the cookies and become fat and ugly.”

“You could _never_ be ugly,” Jared protested loudly. “You’re one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen in my life!”

Jensen blushed deeply. “Thanks, Jared,” Jensen murmured. He cleared his throat awkwardly. Jared’s shoulders slumped.

“I didn’t mean that,” Jared said. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“So, does that mean you _don’t_ think I’m attractive?”  
“What! No!” Jared exclaimed. “Of course I don’t think that!” Jared was appalled that anyone would think Jensen was less than an absolute perfect human being.

Jensen laughed. “I’m teasing you, Jay.”

“Oh.” Jared smiled. “Okay then. Never mind.” Jensen laughed and the sound was like sunshine and Christmas sleigh bells. Jared closed his eyes and drowned in the sound. “You have a pretty laugh,” Jared sighed.

“Thanks.” Jensen’s voice sounded uncomfortable but when Jared blinked an eye open, he was smiling and juggling tennis balls.

“I wish I knew how to juggle,” Jared said sadly.

“I’ll teach you,” Jensen offered. Jared brightened.

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure. It’s easy to learn. You just have to practice a lot.” Jensen handed Jared two tennis balls. “Okay, so hold one in each hand. Yeah, good. Kay, now throw one ball into the other hand, and the second tennis ball in the air. Yeah like that.” Jensen smiled even though Jared dropped the tennis ball. “Just try and catch it. You can get it.”

Jared frowned in concentration, trying desperately to make Jensen proud of him. If Jensen thought he could learn it, Jared was determined to prove him right. Suddenly Jeff’s voice was in his ear, telling him that he couldn’t learn it because he didn’t know how to learn, and both tennis balls dropped to the ground. “No!”

“Jay,” Jensen touched his arm. “Hey, it’s fine.”  
“I can’t learn it,” Jared told him. “I can’t.”  
“You _can_ ,” Jensen assured. “But hey, I’m kind of hungry, do you want to go get something to eat?”

Jared picked up the plate of cookies. “Can we bring these?”

“Sure.” Jensen pocketed the tennis balls and picked up Oscar’s leash. “Let’s find somewhere outside so these two-,” He gestured at the dogs, “-can come with us.”

Jared nodded eagerly and persuaded Sadie back into her leash. “We’re going out to get food,” Jared told her. Jared giggled when her ears perked up. He knew his dog liked food and he always fed her scraps from the table, even when Momma yelled at him for it. Sadie was Jared’s best friend.

Jensen led them to a little café with outdoor tables. It was sunny and warm, and Jared felt lit up from the inside when Jensen smiled at him from across the table. “I came here sometimes with my wi-,” Jensen cleared his throat and picked up his menu. “With a friend.”

Jared felt confused. “Who?” Why couldn’t Jensen tell him? They were friends, and friends told each other everything.

“No one important,” Jensen replied. He looked strangely miserable all of a sudden and Jared wanted to wrap Jensen up in a big hug.

“I don’t like it when you’re sad,” Jared told him. “You look pretty when you smile.”

“Sometimes its hard to smile,” Jensen told him. Jared decided he was ridiculous. There was always something to smile about.

“We’re friends, right?” Jared asked timidly.

Jensen looked surprised. “Yeah, of course.”

“Okay. Good.” Jared beamed and petted Sadie’s head from her position next to him. “You can tell me stuff. If you want to.”

“It’s not-,” Jensen ran an angry hand through his hair. “It’s not important.”

“You don’t think I’ll understand,” Jared realized sadly. Jensen tried to protest but Jared shook his head. “I know, everyone thinks that. It’s okay.”  
“It’s not okay,” Jensen replied. “It’s complicated, Jared. My sadness is my burden. Not yours.”  
“I want to help!” Jared whined. “You don’t make me feel stupid, you make me feel like I can do things. Trust me, I’m your friend. I _am_!”

Jensen reached across the table and grabbed Jared’s hand. “You are one of the most wonderful people I have ever met, and you are a very close friend. I just can’t talk about this.” He sighed. “It’s about my wife. Or my ex-wife, really. We got divorced recently.”   
“Divorced?” Jared had heard that before, it meant two people didn’t love each other anymore. “That’s why you were sad. You looked so sad when you bought Oscar.”

“I was.” Jensen smiled quietly. “I’m better now. Oscar helped.” His beautiful green eyes were less miserable, and Jared felt a happy squeeze around his heart.  

*

Jared felt like skipping on the way home. Jensen kept shooting him amused looks, but Jared couldn’t control the bright smile that lit up his face. He rambled on about everything, from Megan’s school play when she was 8 and Jared cheered her on as loud as he could even though it made Momma angry and she made him go to bed early, to Jeff’s high school graduation where Momma and Daddy smiled really brightly and they went out to dinner and Jared never felt like he was less than anyone.

At some point, he got so happy and worked up that he grabbed Jensen’s hand and swung it back and forth between them. It was childish and strange, but Jensen didn’t let go and even laughed a little as Jared avidly described every moment of his childhood that made him smile.

“I want to do this more often,” Jared blurted. They were almost at his house and both dogs were tired but happy from walking and running all afternoon. “Every day!”

Jensen chuckled. “I don’t think we can do it every day,” He said. “But sure, I’ll try and drop by at the shelter after work. And maybe we can hang out on Saturday.”

“Do you wanna go to a movie?” Jared asked. “Megan goes to the movies with her friends, but she sees these horrible movies where everyone kisses.” Jared scrunched up his nose. “I don’t like those movies.”

“Alright,” Jensen replied. “We can see a movie.”

“But _not_ one where there’s kissing,” Jared said firmly. Those movies were gross.

“No kissing,” Jensen agreed. His lips were curved in a smile and Jared thought that despite how gross kissing was in movies, kissing Jensen seemed like a wonderful idea.

Jared heard a car horn and it jerked him out of his daydream. “Megan!” Jared cheered. He grabbed Jensen’s hand and pulled him down the driveway. Megan slid out of her friend’s car and the shiny red car drove away. “Megan, look, Jensen’s here!”

Megan smiled fondly at her big brother. “Hey, Jare. Nice to see you again, Jensen.”

“You bailed on us on our walk,” Jensen joked. Megan rolled her eyes.

“Thought I’d give you and Jare some time alone. You don’t need a dorky little sister following you around.”

“You’re not dorky,” Jared exclaimed. Megan was wonderful. Just like Jensen. “We’re going to a movie.”  
“Tonight?” Megan raised an eyebrow.

“Next weekend,” Jensen clarified. Jared thought the weekend was too far away. 

“I see no harm in that.” Megan held her wrist out to Jared. “Look, I got a new bracelet!”

“It’s pretty, Meg.” Jared thought it was too shiny but Megan liked it and that’s what mattered. “Shiny.”  
“Blindingly shiny,” Jensen added.

“Oh, no one asked your opinion,” Megan said.

Jensen laughed. “I think it’s time for me to leave.”  
Jared pouted. “Do you have to? You can stay and meet my momma and daddy.”

A strange looked crossed Jensen’s face. “No, maybe some other time.” He shifted, like he didn’t know what to do next, so Jared pulled his friend into a tight hug. “I’ll see you soon, Jay,” Jensen murmured.

“Good.” Jared squeezed Jensen tighter. “Awesome.”

“Yeah,” Jensen echoed. “Awesome.”

*

Momma frowned. “Jared, you’re spilling food on yourself.” Jared glanced down and saw a little piece of noddle on his shirt. He picked it up and popped it into his mouth but Momma still frowned. “Jared-,”  
“Oh, leave it Momma,” Megan interrupted. “It’s one noodle. I’ve dropped more food on myself, and I know you have too.”

“I have not,” Momma protested.

Daddy nodded. “It’s uncivilized.”  
“For Christ’s sake, we’re home alone!” Megan exclaimed exasperatedly.

“Language!” Momma chided. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you.”

“Nothing,” Megan grunted. “Just grumpy.”

Jared reached over and squeezed her hand the way Jensen squeezed his. “S’okay.”

Megan sighed. “Well, tell me about what you and Jensen did today. Sadie was exhausted when you brought her home.”

Jared’s whole demeanor lit up. “It was so much fun! He made cookies, and they were really good even though he didn’t think they would be. And then we played fetch with the dogs and he tried to teach me how to juggle. I’m not so good at it right now but Jensen said to practice.”

Momma cleared his throat. “What else did Jensen do?”

“We went out to lunch. He found somewhere outside so Sadie and Oscar could sit next to us. And then he walked me home, and we’re going to see a movie next weekend,” Jared took a deep breath when he was done. “It was a good day.”  
“Sounds like it,” Momma muttered. She took a delicate bite of her pasta and exchanged a funny look with Daddy.

“What?” Jared asked. “What?”

“Nothing, honey,” Momma said. “Isn’t that right?” She glared at Daddy until he nodded in agreement. Jared didn’t think it was nothing but he knew better than to question Momma. He hoped it didn’t have to do with Jensen.

*

Jared curled up with Megan that night before he went to bed. When they were little, Megan would crawl into his bed during storms. Now she came in whenever she wanted. “How’s Jensen?”  
“Better,” Jared replied. “He and his wife got divorced. That’s why he’s so sad.”

“Aw,” Megan frowned. “Poor Jensen.”  
“He said Oscar makes it better. Makes him happy.” Jared grinned goofily. “ _I_ made him happy.”  
“You make everyone happy,” Megan said.

“Not Caroline.”

“Caroline’s a bitch,” Megan stated. “And don’t tell Momma I said that, she’ll skin me alive.”

Jared giggled into his hand. “Momma hates that word.”  
“Momma hates a lotta things,” Megan pointed out. “But enough about that. What else did you and Jensen do?”  
“Walked and talked. He bought me food.” Jared blushed. “I kinda wanted to kiss him. Is that weird?”

Megan didn’t look weirded out. “Of course not. Kissing is normal.”  
“I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone before.” Jared picked at his fingernail. “Do you think Jensen would kiss me too?”

“Maybe.” Megan and Jared both watched the ceiling. “You’re cute, Jare.”

“Jensen’s _beautiful_ ,” Jared breathed. “He has green eyes and pretty freckles. His freckles are cute. It’s like the time we made cookies and you got cinnamon on your nose.”

“Jensen made you cookies today.”  
“They were chocolate chip. Really sweet. He let me eat as many as I wanted and didn’t yell at me. Jensen has never yelled at me,” Jared said.

“He sounds kind of wonderful,” Megan agreed.

“He’s perfect.” Jared snuggled up to his baby sister. “I really want to kiss him.”

"Yeah," Megan echoed. "I'm sure he wants to kiss you too." Jared smiled brightly into his pillow and imagined that Jensen was lying beside him with his arms wrapped tightly around Jared's waist. 

 ****

Jensen was heating up one of the “healthy” microwavable meals his momma had shoved on him. The TV was on in the other room where Oscar was most likely sleeping on the couch. Someone knocked on the door and Jensen debated ignoring it until the knocking turned into pounding and the visitor called, “Jensen! Open your god damn door! I haven’t seen your face in weeks!”

Jensen rolled his eyes and looked longingly at the food. “Coming!”

Chris and Steve were both standing at the doorstep. “Howdy, motherfucker.” Chris pushed past Jensen into his house and Steve shrugged apologetically.

“I tried,” Steve said.

“It’s only 7:00. Jenny can eat dinner with us. In fact, we’ll order a pizza,” Chris suggested. “I’ll even let you pay for it.”

“How generous.” Jensen drawled. Oscar came running up to greet the visitors. He was barking and panting happily. “Oscar, down. Don’t love them. They’re bad people.”

“Really feeling the love, Jenny.” Chris plopped down on the couch and picked up the phone. “I’m gonna order a pizza.”

“So, what have you been up to?” Steve asked casually. “Meet anyone new?”  
“No,” Jensen replied. “Just Oscar.”   
“Josh told us differently,” Chris shouted from the couch.

Jensen looked at Steve. “You’ve been talking to my brother?”

“You weren’t answering your phone and I wanted to know what had you so distracted,” Steve replied.

“We didn’t know if you were drowning your sorrows in alcohol, basically,” Chris added. “Oh, hello? Yes, I’d like…” He rattled off their pizza order and Jensen went to get beers for all three of them.

“Well, I’ve been sober and stable.” Jensen stroked Oscar’s soft ears. “We’ve both been awesome.”  

Chris hung up the phone. “They will be in here in 30 minutes. And who’s Jared?”  
“What? How’d you find out about Jared?”

“Josh told us. You told me you adopted a dog at Ferris Shelters when I brought you lunch—out of the good of my heart, because I love you so much Jenny—and Josh told me a guy named Jared sold it to you and now you’re dating him,” Chris finished.

“I’m not dating him!” Jensen spluttered. “I swear, I’m going to kick Josh’s stupid ass the next time I see him!”

“He didn’t actually say ‘dating’,” Steve said, shooting Chris a look. “He said you two were going out.”

“Yes, dating,” Chris insisted.

“We walk our dogs together,” Jensen took a sip of his beer. “And hang out like friends.”  
“So, basically you have dates every week. What’s next, dinner and a movie?” Chris drawled. Jensen blushed and Chris exclaimed, “You _have_ taken him to dinner and a movie! You dog!”

“Chris, shut up! And no, I haven’t, actually. But I’m going to.” He blushed deeper. “Not as a date. Just two friends going to see a movie. I swear, that’s all it is.”

Steve clucked his tongue. “He’s in denial.”  
“I agree,” Chris said. Jensen flipped them both off.

“I give you beer and pizza and get no respect.”

“I have no respect for you,” Chris told Jensen. The doorbell rang and Jensen grabbed his wallet to pay for the pizza.

“Screw you both. Moochers.” He heard Chris and Steve’s laughter behind him.

Chris found a Die Hard marathon on TV and they ate on the couch with the pizza box open on the table and Oscar watching the three of them with big, pleading eyes. Occasionally Chris throws him a piece of pepperoni, and Jensen teases him for giving in to the puppy dog eyes.

When it gets late, Chris and Steve decide that Jensen could have his house back. “Introduce us to Jared sometime, okay? If you like this guy—and I’m not saying you’re going gay for him, but if you are that’s totally fine—I think your two best friends need to meet him,” Chris said when he was exiting the house.  
Jensen smiled and leaned against the door. “He’s pretty awesome. And I think he’d like to meet you too. He’s really friendly, loves people.”

“Jenny’s smitten,” Chris cooed patronizingly.

“Get off my fucking property, Kane,” Jensen shot back to Chris and Steve’s laughter, trying not to think of how warm Jared’s dimples made him feel.

Oscar watched him appraisingly when Jensen came back in. “So, that’s Chris and Steve. They’re a little crazy but I think they liked you.” Oscar woofed. “Okay, good. I’m glad you approve.” He handed Oscar a piece of pepperoni that he wolfed down. “They barge in uninvited, frequently, so you’ll probably see them often. But they might bring you treats.”

Jensen sat down in an armchair and rubbed Oscar’s ears. “Jared brings you treats too, huh? He’s…. something else. Do you think I could date him?” Jensen asked. Oscar just tilted his head to the side and Jensen berated himself for looking for advice in a dog. “Not like you would know any better. You don’t even know what I’m saying. Anyone who gives you treats is a good person, right? Dogs love all people, and people love dogs.” But then Jensen remembered that Oscar was abused an abandoned, that he was dumped on the steps of an animal shelter beaten and bloodied. And Oscar probably loved those owners too, probably looked up at them with worship and then fear and betrayal when he was kicked, or hit, or starved. “Oh, Oscar.” Jensen knelt beside his dog and pulled him into a tight hug. “I forgot.”

Oscar nuzzled Jensen’s cheek and woofed. If he were a cat, Oscar would probably be purring. “No one’s ever gonna hit you again, okay? Cuz I would kill anyone that tried. Well, that’s a little violent. I would permanently maim anyone that ever hit you again, deal?” He shook Oscar’s paw in a mock deal. He felt a strong wave of protectiveness for the dog, and wondered if that was how Megan felt about Jared. Jensen was certainly willing to beat up anyone that put a frown on Jared’s bright, beaming face.

“I think it’s time for us to go to bed,” Jensen decided. Oscar followed him up to his bedroom and Jensen fell asleep with the dog sitting on his feet.


	8. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long i love you all forgive me

Jensen couldn’t focus on work. Jared’s eager face asking him to go to a movie was still so prominent in his mind. The bright hazel eyes and deep dimples, the endless kindness and the big heart all kept popping up, and Jared’s voice in his mind continuously asked questions about everything Jensen was doing. _“What would you do, if you could have any job in the world?”_ Jared had asked. Jensen still didn’t know the answer. It probably wouldn’t be an executive in an advertising firm, working through marketing proposals.

Jensen rubbed his temples. He was getting a headache from all the conflicting emotions and wished he could see Jared.  He only had 30 minutes left in his workday, and he could always do some work at home. He wanted to stop by the shelter before he went home, say hi to Jared. It might be the only bright part in his day, at this point.

“Misha!” Jensen called. “Mish!”

“What?” The strangely Zen man poked his head into Jensen’s office. “How can I be of service?”

“Can I clock out early?” Jensen waved the papers. “I’m happy to take these home.”  
“Nah.” Misha shrugged. “They’ll be here tomorrow. Go forth and frolic.” With the strange last words, Misha exited. Jensen didn’t know if he was going to “frolic” but he’d certainly go find something more fun to do. He found himself driving to the shelter and then jumping out of the car and walking in the front door.

Sandy was at the front again, going through her papers. The door chimed and she looked up, grinning when she realized it was Jensen. “Hey, you.”

“Hey, Sandy.” He leaned over the counter to hug her. “How are you?”

“Good. Great. Sorting through some adoption papers. A family came in and adopted two dogs and a cat. The cat was all chewed up and hissed at everyone that came near her, but the little girl in the family—couldn’t have been more than 5—went over and picked the cat up and didn’t let go until her mother agreed to adopt it.”

“She didn’t get mauled by a cat?”

“No. The cat was purring when she left. No one else could go near here, but that little girl could squeeze that cat and she wouldn’t even scratch. She named the cat ‘Bubbles’.” Sandy giggled slightly.

Jensen laughed too. “That cat would hate me.”  
“You don’t know that,” Sandy protested.

“No, trust me. I hate cats and cats hate me. I’ve yet to find an exception. But I have Oscar and he’s better than any cat,” Jensen replied. “Hey, is, um, anyone else around?”

“Subtle,” Sandy teased. “I’ll go get Jared. He’s in the back.”  
“He’s always in the back,” Jensen said.

“He prefers animals to humans,” Sandy explained. She gave him a look. “Well, most humans.”

Jensen blushed and Sandy laughed as she walked away to get Jared. He took a seat in one of the chairs in the front and drummed his fingers on his thigh. He heard an excited yelp and then loud footsteps.

Jensen stood up just as Jared reached the front. He was immediately wrapped in Jared’s long limbs. Jensen stumbled back with the force of Jared’s hug, but put his arms around Jared in return. “Hi!”  
“You came!” Jared exclaimed happily. Jensen pulled back slightly and saw Jared beaming brightly.

“I said I would, didn’t I? Figured that one day a week wasn’t enough,” Jensen said. He flashed him the biggest smile he could muster. “I’m happy to see you.”

“I’m so happy to see you!” Jared chirped. His hazel eyes were dancing like fireflies. “Oh, come on, I’ll introduce you to the dogs.” His enthusiasm was contagious and Jensen found himself petting dogs as Jared introduced them.

“This is Bone,” Jared said with a flourish. Bone growled at Jensen and Jared grimaced. “Bone growls at everyone. He’s never going to get adopted. He’s a cranky dog.”

Against his better judgment, Jensen stuck his hand in through the cage for Bone to sniff. Bone growled at the intruding limb and nipped at Jensen’s finger. “Ow!” He yanked his hand out of the cage.

“Bone! Bad dog!” Jared looked at Jensen concernedly. “Are you alright?”

“It’s fine, just a little bite. Nothing big.”

Jared glared at Bone. “You’re not supposed to bite people. You will have no friends if you do that, naughty dog.” Bone growled at Jared. Jared just patted Bone’s head sharply. “That’s no way to treat guests.”

Bone huffed and Jensen laughed. “You know they aren’t people, right?”  
Jared looked adorably offended. “They are just as capable as understanding as any human.”

“Of course they are,” Jensen replied. It was impossible to deny anything when Jared was looking at him so earnestly.

Jared seemed pleased by his answer and Jensen reached out to try and pet Bone again. Bone growled but made no move to bite him and sniffed his hand. “You’re just a big ol’ teddy bear, aren’t you?” Jensen murmured. “You like to growl and bite but you don’t hate people. You just want to be loved.” Bone growled again.

“Bone doesn’t usually like strangers,” Jared told him. “But then again, Oscar doesn’t like people either and he loves you.”

“I’m lovable,” Jensen teased.

“Yeah, you are,” Jared said softly. Jensen flushed and kept his gaze on Bone. He could practically feel the disappointment radiating off Jared and knew he was thinking he screwed things up again.

“Do you want to get dinner?” Jensen asked. “It’s too late to do anything else.” He didn’t want his friend to feel uncomfortable.

“Yes!” Jared exclaimed happily. But the smile dropped as quickly as it came. “But I’d have to ask my momma.”

“Well, do you want to call her?” Jensen held out his phone and Jared took it cautiously.

“I dunno,” Jared mumbled.

“Here,” Jensen said gently and took the phone back. “You tell me the number, I’ll dial it and you can talk.”

Jared blushed like he was embarrassed he couldn’t do it, and Jensen smiled soothingly. “Thanks,” Jared said. “Here, Megan gave me this.” He pulled a slip of paper out and handed it to Jensen. Two phone numbers were written on the paper and Jensen dialed the one labeled _Mom_. When it started ringing, Jensen handed the phone to Jared.

Someone must have answered because Jared said, “Hi, Momma.” _Pause_. “No, I’m okay. I’m with Jensen now.” _Pause._ “No, we’re just in the shelter. He wants to go get dinner.” Jared frowned at his mom’s response. “But _momma_ -,” Jared’s formerly eager face slipped into disappointment. “No, of course not momma. Yes, I understand. No, Jensen is a wonderful person!” Jared’s mother replied and Jared pouted. “Yes, Momma. See you soon.”

Jared met Jensen’s eyes dejectedly. “She said no.”

Jensen put a hand on Jared’s arm. “It’s okay, Jay. We’re still on for Saturday, right?”

Jared beamed at him. “We do! You’re right!” Jared pulled Jensen into a tight hug. “You’re so wonderful, Jensen,” Jared said.

Jensen patted Jared’s back awkwardly. What was the proper response to that? Jared was very attractive, and Jensen did consider himself bi—his experiments in college had proven that point—but Jared was still Jared. There would be a long line of people waiting in line if Jensen were to hurt or take advantage of Jared. But Jensen didn’t really care at that moment. “You’re pretty wonderful too.”

“Jay, do you need me to call your mom to give you a ride home?” Sandy’s head peeked into view and Jensen stepped away from Jared.

“No,” Jared said. “Jensen can give me a ride home.” His big eyes turned to Jensen. “Right?”

“Course I can, Jay.” Spending time with Jared was quickly becoming addicting. But Jared directed his dazzling smile at him and Jensen couldn’t help but grin back. “Ready to go now?”

“Yup.” Jared hugged Sandy and then bounced outside. Jensen watched him fondly but caught Sandy eyeing him.

“What?” Jensen asked innocently.

“I told you when we first met not to fuck with Jared,” Sandy answered. “Just keep that in mind.”

“I wasn’t-,” Jensen protested, but Sandy had turned and walked away.

 ****

Jared ran his hands reverently over the sleek black car. It was so shiny and Jared could see his face in it. “Your car is pretty,” Jared breathed.

Jensen’s beautiful chuckle sounded behind him. “Yeah, she’s a beauty. Josh likes to insult her because he thinks his car is so much cooler. His car is silver.”  
“I like black better,” Jared decided. He didn’t think anything anyone owned could be cooler than anything Jensen owned.

“Me too.” Jensen pressed on his keys and the car made a beeping noise. “It should be unlocked. Hope in and then you can show me where you live.”  
Jared felt his spirits drop. He knew his address, but he didn’t know if he could guide Jensen perfectly. “Okay.”  
“What’s your address?” Jensen asked. He jumped into the car and Jared followed suit. The leather was soft and smooth. Jared spent some time running his hands over it. “Jared? Your address?”

“Oh, right,” Jared blushed. “2341 SE Oak Street.” Momma always made sure he had it memorized whenever he left the house. “I can probably tell you where to go.”  
“That’d be awesome.” Jensen swatted something on the dashboard of his car. “My GPS is useless.”

“Jeff hates his GPS,” Jared remembered. “He said it got him lost more than he brought him to his destination.”  
“I find that to be the truth more often than not,” Jensen agreed. “I use good old fashioned paper maps, even though Chris tells me I’m out of touch with those things.”  
“Chris?” Jared didn’t know his name. “Who’s that?”  
“He’s my best friend. I’ve known him since high school. He’s a pain in the ass, but also good in a crisis,” Jensen explained. Jared picked at a string in his jeans. _He_ wanted to be Jensen’s chest friend.

“Jared?” Jensen was looking at him concernedly. “You alright? You’re blanking out on me.”

“I’m fine,” Jared whispered. “We’re friends.”

“Course we are,” Jensen agreed. “Great friends.” He took one hand off the wheel and put it on top of Jared’s so the hole in the denim didn’t get any bigger. “Promise.”

“’Kay.” Jared’s thigh felt warm where Jensen touched it. He felt the warmth run over his body and Jared wanted to drown in it. He wanted to wrap himself around Jensen.

“Jay,” Jensen said, “I need directions.”  
“Oh, right!” Jared squinted and tried to recall the path that Momma and sometimes Sandy took. “You take a left here. And keep going. Here you take a right. Go down this street.” Jensen turned down Jared’s street and he waited until he could see his house. “There! That one. The brown one.” Jared knew his momma would be inside and waiting to hear all about his day.

“It’s a nice house,” Jensen commented. “Very big.”  
Jared always thought that his house was too big. He thought his parents were trying to show off with the house, but Momma always told him it was immature to brag about yourself.  

“Well, this is it,” Jensen said. He stopped the car in the driveway and gave Jared a sunny smile. “I’ll see you Saturday, okay?”  
“Yeah, okay,” Jared replied.

He started to get out, but Jensen cried, “Wait!” Jared’s hand froze on the door. “Here, take my number.” Jared watched Jensen rip a piece of paper from a receipt and scrawl something across is. “Now you can call me whenever you want, okay? If you ever need anything, just give me a call.”

“Okay,” Jared murmured. He felt the butterflies resurface in his stomach. “I will.”

Jensen beamed at him and Jared slid out of the car and away from the buttery soft leather. “Bye, Jensen!”

“Bye, Jay,” Jensen called. He pulled out of the driveway and Jared watched his car until it was impossible to see it.

Jared carefully tucked the piece of paper into his pocket. He didn’t want to lose Jensen’s number. He could call Jensen _any_ time he wanted.

Momma was sitting by the kitchen table. “Jared,” She said stiffly. “You came home early.”  
“Sandy didn’t need me at the shelter and Jensen offered me a ride home,’ Jared explained.

“Oh?” Momma raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware Jensen worked at the shelter.”  
“Of course he doesn’t,” Jared corrected. “He works in a big office.”  
“He has a very nice car.” Momma commented.

Jared nodded. “The seats are soft.”

“Jeff and Caroline are coming over for dinner,” Momma said. “Wash your hands and put on a nicer shirt, Jared.”

Jared stifled a groan. He hated spending dinners with Caroline. Jeff used to be so nice and patient with him, until Caroline met Jeff and started pointing out everything that was wrong with Jared. Jeff wasn’t so patient anymore.

*

Dinner was uncomfortable. Caroline and Momma giggled over the diamond on her finger and Daddy talked proudly with Jeff. Megan was at a friend’s house, because she was old enough to opt out of family dinners, which meant Jared was all alone. He picked at the green beans on his plate. Momma put so many on his plate even though she knew Jared hated string beans. Megan loved them but she couldn’t sneak them off his plate when she wasn’t here, so Jared tried to choke down the awful slimy food. Sadie sat beneath him and occasionally licked Jared’s ankles.

“Stop playing with your food,” Momma scolded.

“I _hate_ green beans,” Jared whined.

“You need the vegetables,” Momma replied.

“Honestly, you’d think he’d know by now,” Caroline said in a low voice. Jeff put a placating hand on her back, but Jared still heard her mean words.

“Don’t talk to me like that!” Jared blurted. “I’m not a child!” Sadie raised her head at Jared’s voice.

“Jared,” Jeff hissed. “Don’t be rude!”  
“Why not? She’s mean to me!”

“Go to your room,” Momma said coldly. “And when you’re done with your temper tantrum, you can come back down and apologize to Caroline.”

“Why can’t you be more like Jensen?” Jared exclaimed. “He doesn’t treat me like I’m an kid!”

“You are a kid!” Momma shouted. Jared felt the last shred of happiness from hanging out with Jensen just collapse away and his eyes filled with tears. Daddy frowned and Jeff looked slightly upset, but Momma just sighed. “Room, Jared.”

Jared gave Caroline the darkest look he could muster and stormed up to his room. Sadie scurried up behind him and Jared shut his bedroom door behind both of them. “Why do _I_ always get in trouble?” Jared complained. “She’s the one that’s mean to me!”

Sadie nuzzled Jared’s hand. “You agree with me, don’t you girl?” Sadie licked Jared’s palm. “Yeah, I thought so.”

The sacred piece of paper still lay in Jared’s palm. He wished he had a phone so he could call Jensen and listen to him tell Jared that it was all okay, that Jared was _right_ and Caroline wasn’t allowed to be mean to him like she was. He rolled onto his stomach and put his arms around his pillow. Sadie lumbered onto the bed behind him and huffed. “At least I have you,” Jared murmured.

He’d started to calm down and his stomach growled. He was still kind of hungry. He would only get food if he apologized to Caroline, which he really didn’t want to do. It wasn’t his fault. “I’m not a child.”

Sadie paced around the room. “I don’t want to apologize. It’s not my fault.”

Jared was hungry, but he decided to take a nap before he went back down to his family and Caroline.

*

Jared woke to a small hand shaking him. “Jared?” Megan whispered. “Wake up, Jare!”

“Megan?” Jared shifted into a sitting position. “You’re home.”

“And you’re in bed at 8:00,” Megan replied. “I’m assuming it had something to do with that horrid bitch.”  
“I shouldn’t have yelled,” Jared mumbled. “I was just really angry.”  
“It’s not your fault,” Megan assured. “She’s so awful. I wish Jeff wasn’t marrying her. She doesn’t like me either.”  
“At least you’re _normal_ ,” Jared said bitterly. “At least you’re not a _kid_.”  
“Caroline called you a kid?” Megan growled. “Oh, I’m gonna rip that bitch apa-,”  
“Momma did,” Jared interrupted.

“Oh.” Megan sat next to him on the bed.

Jared showed her the torn receipt. “Jensen gave me his number. He said I could call him anytime.”

“Oh, awesome!” Megan squeezed his arm. “That’s so cool. Why don’t you call him at work tomorrow and he can visit you again?”

Jared met her eyes. “You think he would?”  
“Yeah, Jare, I think he definitely would.” Megan patted his stomach. “Want me to get you some food?”  
“You’re not allowed to sneak food upstairs,” Jared told her. “Momma said so.”  
Megan winked. “I think we can break that rule once, right Jare?”

“Okay. But be quiet!”

“I will. And if I see Caroline, I’ll punch her,” Megan added.

“Jeff’ll be mad,” Jared warned.

“Yeah, well I’m kind of mad at him right now,” Megan grumbled. “I think he’ll live.”

Megan was out of the room before Jared could ask Megan why she was mad at Jeff.

Sadie’s big puppy dog eyes looked up at him. “I don’t know what to do,” Jared told her sadly. “It would be better if everyone was like Jensen.”

Megan brought him back a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which he ate beside her on the bed. “Did they seem mad?”

“No. They were just sitting there watching TV. It was very awkward, no one was talking.” Megan ripped a piece of crust off Jared’s sandwich. “They should apologize to _you_ , Jared. They said rude things.”

“They’re right. I am a kid.”

“You’re _not_ , and they had no right to say things like that.” She forced Jared to look at her. “Has Sandy ever treated you less than you are? Has Chad? Have I? Has _Jensen_?” Jared shook his head. “So four people that love you think you’re mature and awesome, but you decide to believe the words of four people who refuse to give you a chance?” Megan stroked his hair. “Believe the people that know you, Jared. Believe me. Believe Jensen.”

Jared felt a reluctant smile appear when he thought of Jensen and his big green eyes. “Okay. Yeah, I can do it.”  
“Good.” Megan squeezed his hand.


	9. Maybe-Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long! over a week, that's totally my fault :( but here you go!

Momma was not pleased with his behavior the next day. She told him that he should still apologize to Caroline, but she also made Jared’s favorite French toast. It was probably the closest to an apology his momma would ever give him. The shelter was uplifting and Jared managed to find joy in playing with the dogs and he laughed along with their antics. Sandy gave him candy and Chad accidentally spilled wet food on himself, which made both Sandy and Jared burst out laughing.

Around lunchtime, he borrowed Sandy’s phone and stared at it for a few moments before putting in Jensen’s number. It rang a few times until a honey-sweet voice answered.

 _”Hello?_ ”

“Jensen? It’s Jared,” he said shyly.

 _Hey, Jay! It’s nice to hear from you. Are you at the shelter?_ ”

“Yeah,” Jared answered. “I’m borrowing Sandy’s phone, but I brought the paper with your number on it so I could call you.”

 _”Well, I’m glad you did. I’m bored as fu—I’m really bored. It’s all papers, all the time.”_ Jensen yawned. _”If only I could leave now.”_

Jared giggled. “You could come visit me.”

 _”If I wouldn’t get in heaps of trouble for leaving, that’s the first place I would go,”_ Jensen assured.

“I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Jared exclaimed. “Don’t leave if you’ll get in trouble.”

_”No worries, I won’t. But I’ll call if I can get off early and visit you again, okay?”_

“Yes!” Jared said happily. “That would be fantastic!”

Jensen’s beautiful laugh chimed. _”Which number should I call? This one?”_

“Call the shelter,” Jared replied automatically. “I’ll give you the number, okay?”

 _“That’d be perfect, Jay.”_  Jensen waited patiently while Jared checked the little paper Sandy taped by the phone with all the important numbers on it, including the shelter’s number.

“Call me soon, okay?” Jared insisted.

 _”As soon as I can, Jay. As soon as I can pick up the phone, you will be my first call.”_ Jensen lowered his voice to a whisper. “ _Oops, my boss caught me.”_

“I thought _you_ were the boss.”  
Jensen chuckled. “ _I’m one of the bosses. But there’s also one person that’s in charge of_ me.”

“I think you’d be a better boss,” Jared replied.

“ _You don’t even know my boss. What if he’s the best person in the world?”_

“Well, I still think you’d be better.” Jared paused. “Is he the best person in the world?”

“ _No,”_ Jensen said, _“He’s a complete lunatic.”_

Jared laughed. “You’re a lunatic too.”

 _”Jay! I’m offended!”_ Jensen teased. Jared covered his giggles with his hand. “ _I’m gonna call you later, okay?”_

“Bye, Jen,” Jared said. “See you Saturday!”

 _“And hopefully sooner._ ”

Jensen’s conversation with Jared made him feel infinitely better. He wasn’t lying, work certainly _was_ boring. But lately it seemed even more so, and Jensen accredited that to the fact that he was becoming accustomed to exciting afternoons with Jared. He found himself looking forward to the weekends and any stolen moments he could spend with Jared.

Jensen tried to stamp down on the urge to drive to Jared and kiss him senseless, but Jared’s sweet voice and big heart were impossible to forget. “I’m a hopeless mess.”  
“We all seem to be,” an airy voice acknowledged. “I find it easier to let it be.”  
Jensen jolted up and found Misha watching him. “Um… what?”

“Oh, you know. Life. Love. It all seems a bit hopeless at times.” Misha said it as though he was discussing the weather. 

“It does?” Jensen asked, puzzled. “I mean, it does.”

“And yet, we are still here,” Misha continued. “So I’m sure there is something hopeful about this hopeless situation you’ve wandered into, Mr. Ackles.”

“I suppose,” Jensen mused. “It’s confusing.”  
“Your heart is in your eyes,” Misha stated. “I can imagine your marriage is doing well?”  
“No, I just got divorced,” Jensen corrected. Misha frowned.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” It was the most normal Misha had ever sounded.

“It’s okay. I’m moving on.”  
“And _that’s_ why your heart is in your eyes! You’ve met someone else!” Misha clapped his hands. “That’s wonderful!”

Jensen sighed. “Yeah, he’s pretty wonderful. I just don’t know if I can be with him.”

“Why not?” Misha asked. “Is he married?”

“No, but-,”

“Is he in a relationship?”

“ _No,_ but-,”

“Does he hate you?”

“I really _hope_ not-,”

“Then what’s the problem?” Misha raised an eyebrow. “It sounds like your problem isn’t really a problem.”

“Yes, but he might not be gay, or might not feel the same way about me, and Misha… he’s kind of, well, special.”  
“So? He still knows what love is. Everyone knows what love is. Can he make his own decisions?”  
“Of course he can, he’s not _stupid_!” Jensen defended. “He’s amazing!”

“Then if he loves you too, and chooses to be with you, how could you make yourself a villain?”

“It sounds so simple when you say it like that,” Jensen murmured.   
“Well, I see I’ve left you with some things to think about. Have a nice day, Jensen.” Misha waved goodbye and Jensen barely managed to raise a hand in return.  He certainly did have some things to think about.

“Jared,” Jensen said aloud. “ _Jared.”_ His name tasted like sugar and joy, all things he associated with Jared. “Jay.”

Maybe Misha was right. Maybe his problem wasn’t actually a problem.

*

“So,” Jensen started. “I may be in love with someone else. Or, beginning to fall in love with someone else.”

Josh twisted the cap off a beer bottle and handed it to Jensen. “Really?”

“Yup.” Jensen’s lips popped on the “p”.

“Who’s the lucky lady? Or lucky guy?” Josh added. “Don’t even pretend to deny you’re bisexual.”

“No one’s denying anything,” Jensen grumbled. “Jackass.”

“If it was coming from anyone else, I’d be offended.” Josh winked. “But since it’s you, Jenny, I’ll let it slide.”

“Don’t call me Jenny,” Jensen grunted.

“You’re dodging the subject,” Josh pointed out. “Who is it?”

Jensen blushed. He didn’t know why it was so hard to say it. “Don’t judge.”  
“Of course not.”  

“It’s Jared,” Jensen mumbled.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that.”  
Jensen groaned. “Jared, okay? It’s Jared.”

Josh raised an eyebrow. “That’s not news to me.”

Jensen spluttered. “But-what-we—What?”  
“C’mon, Jen,” Josh drawled. “You weren’t exactly subtle. Honestly I thought you called me to tell me you two were dating, not that you’d finally realized your crush on him.”

“You knew? And you didn’t tell me?”

“I thought you knew!” Josh shot back. “You’re the one that always went on about him! I didn’t think you were actually that oblivious!”

“Does Allie know?”  
“Does Allie kn—of course she fucking knows! Who do you think told _me_?”  
“Oh, sorry, I thought you were intuitive.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Look, man, I’m happy for you. Danneel was great, but she wasn’t the _one_.”  
“We were together for ten years,” Jensen deadpanned. “And only after our divorce do you choose to mention that you didn’t think she was the one?”

“I knew you’d bite my head off for insinuating that you and your perfect girl weren’t meant to be,” Josh explained. “It was easier to let you make your own mistakes.”

“What a brother.” Jensen took a sip of beer. “This is disgusting.”

“This is a rundown bar that only Christian Kane loves,” Josh replied. “Of course the beer is gross. Chris has low standards.”

Jensen felt he should be defending his friend, and he also felt the subtle jab at his friendship with Chris, but it wouldn’t do any good. Josh and Chris were almost as close as Jensen and Chris after Josh spilled every one of Jensen’s embarrassing moments to him.

“What do I do now?” Jensen asked.

“Well, you’re going on a date with him on Saturday,” Josh said. “You could always make your move there. And before your protest, I’m not saying you have to jump his bones or anything. Maybe just a kiss. Start off slow so both of you can get used to your relationship.”

“You’re strangely wise sometimes,” Jensen commented. “I could have used this advice when I was in high school and freaking out because I was drooling over Brian Hamilton when every other guy was drooling over his sister.”

“I’ve only recently gained this maturity and wisdom,” Josh replied honestly. “You can thank my wife.”

“Allie is a godsend,” Jensen stated, “If she turns you into a mature adult, finally.”

Josh flicked Jensen’s ear. “You’re jealous because _I’m_ cooler than _you_.”  
Jensen groaned. “I take it back. You’re not mature if you want to insist that you’re ‘cooler than me’.”

“Well I _am_!”

*

It felt like Friday stretched on forever. Chris wanted to take Jensen out with him and Steve and Jensen knew it was code for an interrogation about Jared. Jensen had been avoiding the conversation—and Chris—for as long as possible. Jensen knew it was only so long before Chris would come barging into his house demanding answers.

But tomorrow he was going out on a maybe-date with Jared.

Chris and Steve took him out to their favorite bar, and as Steve went up to grab a few beers for them Chris started talking. “So,” Chris started. “Josh says you’ve met someone.”  
“Do you always talk to my brother about my social life?” Jensen replied.

“Well, seeing as you haven’t been forthcoming with any details, yes, I talked to your brother.” Chris smirked. “Now, tell me about your date tomorrow?”  
Jensen groaned. “It’s not a date. It’s a maybe date.”

“What are you, a teenage girl?” Chris waved at Steve to hurry up. “A maybe-date?”

“Well, I don’t know what to call it. I want it to be a date, but who knows what Jared thinks? And his family—fuck, his family is a whole other story. His sister Megan is pretty cool, she loves Jared and is always supportive. But the way he talks about his mother… she doesn’t sound like she supports Jared. She treats him like a kid because he’s different. Special.”

“Special Ed, special?”

Jensen bristled. “He’s not stupid.”

“Never said he was,” Chris defended. “Just trying to figure him out. Trying to figure out why you’re all puppy dog love, drooling, stars in your eyes over this kid. I haven’t seen you look at anyone since you started dating Danneel.”  
The expected pang of sadness was more muted than it was before. The loss of his wife and friend still ached, but it was beginning to numb into something Jensen could hardly feel. Sure, he wanted to remain friends with his ex-wife, but Jared was in his life now.

“Is it too soon?” Jensen asked quietly. “I was with her for most of my _life_. Shouldn’t I spent at least a year moving on? Shouldn’t I take some time for myself? Go backpacking around the world or pick up a hobby? Jumping back into this so quickly is too… well, _quick_.”

Chris shrugged. “You wanna spend all your time moping and whining over a girl you’re not getting back, go ahead. If you want to go out on a maybe-date with a maybe-crush and have a maybe-good time—you can do that too. It doesn’t take a genius to tell you which option is the better one.”

*

Jensen figured Jared didn’t have a car, or know how to drive. So Jensen was picking Jared up at his house, at 3:00 _sharp_ , just like Jared so enthusiastically told him. Jensen was torn between wanting to meet Jared’s mom and hoping to avoid her entirely. He wasn’t sure he could control his frustration with the woman if Jensen saw her.

Jensen rang the doorbell and loud, clunking footsteps ran to open the door. Before even seeing his face, Jensen knew it was Jared. A small smile crept onto his face and widened when the door swung open and big arms wrapped him in a hug. “Hi, Jen!”

Jensen laughed. “Hey, Jay. Ready to go?”

Jared squeezed him tighter and replied, “Yup! My momma wants to talk to you first, though.”

Jensen reigned in his animosity and smiled at Jared. “Well, let’s meet her, shall we?”

Jared’s mom was not the woman Jensen expected. He was waiting to see a stiff woman with permanent frown lines, not a soft woman with blue eyes and a smile. She looked, well, motherly. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Call me Sherri, dear,” She said. “It’s nice to meet you after all Jared has spoken of you.”   
Jensen smiled fondly at Jared. “Have I lived up to his descriptions?”  
“More so. What did you say you did for a living?”

“I’m an executive in an advertising firm. I work mainly with accounting,” Jensen explained.

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Sherri said. “How long have you been working there?”  
“A few years. It’s…” Boring. Awful. Monotonous. “Repetitive.”

“Mom, stop with the Spanish Inquisition. He just came to pick up Jared and take him to a movie.” Megan popped her head over her mom’s shoulder. “Hey, Jense.”

“Sup, Megan. How’s school?”

Megan crinkled her nose. “Boring. But there’s this guy-,”  
“No guys, Meg,” Jared said. “You’re too young.” He pouted and Megan rolled her eyes.  
“Spoken like a true big brother,” Jensen teased.

Jared grinned. “Ready?”  
“Yup!” Jared squeezed his hand. “No movies with kissing, right?”

“Of course not,” Jensen promised. “Those movies are lame.”

Jared beamed at him and pulled Jensen down the driveway with a wave and a shout of, “goodbye!” to his parents.

“I was thinking we could see an action movie,” Jensen suggested. “No sappy kissing.”

“Kay, that sounds good,” Jared agreed. “No kissing.” Jensen watched Jared fall deep into thought. After a while, Jared said, “Hey Jensen?”  
“Hm?” Jensen slid into the car with Jared and waited for the other man to continue.

“What if I think kissing people _outside_ movies isn’t gross?” Jared asked shyly.

Jensen smiled at him. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Kissing is nice. Sometimes the movies make things weirder than they are.”

“I’ve never kissed anyone,” Jared admitted quietly.

It was what Jensen suspected, but it also made his stomach bubble happily. If he ever worked up the nerve to kiss Jared, it would be his first kiss. Which could either make Jared wholeheartedly support kissing or totally repel him from kissing entirely. “That’s okay.”  
“Do you like kissing?”  
Jensen blushed. “Yeah. It’s nice. It makes you feel safe and loved.”

“Oh,” Jared murmured. “Do you love anyone?”

“Sure, I love lots of people,” Jensen replied.

“Do you want to kiss any of them?” Jared pressed.

 _Just you_. “Only in a friendly way. I don’t want to kiss anyone romantically.” _Except for you_.

Jared slumped his shoulders. “I wish someone wanted to kiss me.”  
Jensen reached across the seat to squeeze Jared’s knee. “I promise, Jared, there is someone out there who wants to kiss you.”

Jared looked up at him with such hope in his eyes that Jensen almost melted. “Really?”

“Of course.” Jensen focused his attention back on the road so he wouldn’t give away all his emotions on his face. “I promise.”

 *** 

Jared _really_ wanted to kiss Jensen. When they got inside the movie theater, Jensen bought Jared every kind of candy Jared wanted, and popcorn, and a giant soda for them to share. The woman who sold tickets smiled and winked at them, and it made Jensen blush for some reason.

They were going to see an action movie, like Jensen said, and he promised it was funny too. Jared put a bag of sour ropes into the popcorn bucket because Megan always said it was the best combination. Jensen had laughed instead of criticizing him and agreed that popcorn and sour candy was an amazing combination. Jared noticed two people a couple rows in front of them who were cuddling and giggling with each other. The boy was holding the girl’s hand and Jared wondered what would happen if Jared held Jensen’s hand. Jensen’s forearm was resting against the armrest, his fingers slightly curled and greasy from the buttery popcorn. Little sugar crystals from the candy rested on his fingertips with melted chocolate.

Jared timidly reached out and rested his hand in Jared’s palm. He gently curled his fingers around Jensen’s and his stomach lit up with butterflies when Jensen’s hand wrapped around his.

“Hi,” Jared whispered quietly.

Jensen smiled fondly at him. “Hi back.”

Jared squeezed Jensen’s hand tighter and settled down to watch the movie.

*

It was funny to hear Jensen talk about the movie. He was animated and kept throwing his hands in the air. Jared giggled and tried to follow. His stomach had been fluttering so excitedly that after halfway through it morphed into explosions and chaos.

“That was fun,” Jensen finally said. “C’mon, I’ll give you a lift home.” Jared jumped into Jensen’s wonderfully soft seats and sighed happily. “I think I ate too much sugar,” Jensen groaned. “I feel fat.”

There’s no way that was possible because Jensen was beautiful and not in the slightest fat. “You’re not fat. And there’s no such thing as too much sugar.”

Jensen laughed and started the car. “Maybe you’re right, Jay, there’s no such thing as too much sugar.” He grinned at Jared. “Next time we can see a horror movie, how’s that?”  
Jared shuddered. He remembered one time Meg saw a horror movie and she slept in Jared’s bed for two weeks because she was so terrified. “No horror movies.”

“Even if I were to protect you?” Jensen winked. “Keep the horrible ugly monsters away?”  
Jared narrowed his eyes. “You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.” Jensen poked his side playfully. “Does that sound like something I would do?”  
“Yes,” Jared grumbled. “You’re mean.”

Jensen snickered and reached over to clasp Jared’s hand in his. They drove in a comfortable silence until Jensen reached Jared’s house. “Well, this is goodbye.”

Jared reluctantly opened the door and slid out. Jensen followed his lead and met him at the front of the car.

“We should do this again,” Jensen suggested. “Still want to walk the dogs tomorrow?”

Jared beamed. “Absolutely. Sadie loves hanging out with Oscar. And I love hanging out with you, too.”

Jensen pulled Jared into a hug and Jared breathed in Jensen, and decided he smelled like cinnamon and snickerdoodle cookies. He lifted his head and Jensen’s sparkling green eyes met his. Jared felt the butterflies in his chest again. Cautiously, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips against Jensen’s.

It was the best first kiss Jared had ever had.  


	10. Introductions

_Oh, fuck, I’m kissing Jared. Holy fuck I’m kissing Jared. He’s a good kisser. Is this really his first kiss? Oh, wow, his lips are soft. He tastes like sugar_. Jensen sighed into the kiss and Jared held his hips. _I should probably pull away._

Jensen slid his mouth off Jared’s and saw Jared’s sparkling, sated eyes. “Shit.” Jensen stumbled a little bit backwards and Jared’s lustful glanced transformed into one of hurt. “Jared, I’m so sorry.”

“Jen, no, wait-,”

“I’m sorry, Jay, I have to go. Please, just-,” Jensen groaned. “I’m sorry.”

“Jen, please-,” Jared grabbed at Jensen’s shirt. “Don’t go.”

For a second, Jensen’s feet stopped. His beautiful hazel eyes that looked so hopeful, so scared, and his lips that were red from kissing. Jensen saw the dimples that formed when Jared smiled. Jensen didn’t want to leave. He wanted to pull Jared into his arms and keep him safe from everything. “Jay…” Jensen squeezed his hand. “Tomorrow, right? Tomorrow I’ll see you.”   
Jared sniffed. “But-,”  
Jensen boldly leaned up and pecked Jared’s cheek. “Tomorrow, Jay, tomorrow.”

Jared nodded and forced a smile. “Tomorrow.”

 **** 

Jared’s stomach rolled back and forth. He was partially ecstatic because he had his first kiss, and it was with Jensen. Jared loved Jensen so it was pretty much the best kiss he’d ever had. But Jensen didn’t look like he enjoyed the kiss as much as Jared did.

Megan was waiting for him in the living room. “So,” She asked. “How was the date?”

“Amazing,” Jared said honestly. He flopped next to her. “He makes butterflies dance in my stomach.”

Megan smiled. “He’s pretty handsome.”   
“And smart. And funny. And he’s so _nice_.” Jared lowered his voice. “Can I tell you a secret?”  
“Of course, Jared.”  
“I kissed Jensen,” He whispered. “His lips were so soft. It was like kissing a pillow.” Jared thought about it. “A wet pillow. But it was still wonderful. And we’re still going to hang out tomorrow.”  
Megan eyed Jared. “And how did he react?”

“He was surprised,” Jared admitted. “And he moved away from me after a little bit. But he also said we were going to hang out tomorrow, and he didn’t get mad at me. He never got mad at me, even when I dumped all the sour candy in the popcorn or spilled a little soda on him. It was perfect.”

Megan smiled and ruffled Jared’s hair. “I’m glad you’ve found someone who treats you well.”

“I want to kiss him again. Is that okay?” Jared asked. “Or would he not like that?”

“Well, you’ll see him tomorrow, right? You can talk to him. But I think Jensen will definitely want to kiss you again. He seems to really like you.”  
“I love him,” Jared admitted. “He makes me smile. It feels strange. But I love him.”

Megan hugged him. “I’m glad. Let’s go to bed. We’ll get some sleep and tomorrow you can walk with Jensen and maybe even kiss him again.”

“I’d like that,” Jared murmured sleepily.

Megan giggled. “C’mon, Jare, let’s get you into bed.”

“M’kay.” Jared yawned. “Sugar crash.”

“I’ll bet. Now get your sleep; Momma will probably want to interroga—ask you questions tomorrow.”

“You’re right.” Jared flopped into his bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

*

Meg was right, because Momma was waiting in the kitchen when Jared came down for breakfast. “Hi, Momma.”  
“Nice night?” Momma scanned him. “Are you hurt?”  
“Hurt—what? No, Jensen would _never_ hurt me.” He smiled dreamily. “We bought candy and saw a movie and then he drove me home.” Jared didn’t know if he should include the kiss. He decided it was a private moment and Momma didn’t need to know _everything_.

“Okay.” Momma toyed with her coffee mug. “Did you do anything else?”  
“No. We’re just going to go out today to walk our dogs like we always do.” Jared sat across from Momma. “I really like him. He never gets mad at me, even when I screw up.”

Momma sighed. “You’re sure he’s trustworthy?”  
Jared felt confused. “Why would he not be? It’s _Jensen_.”

Momma sighed again and sipped at her coffee. She didn’t continue the conversation so Jared still wondered why she thought Jensen wouldn’t be a perfect gentleman.

Sadie trotted over and woofed. “Are you excited to see Jensen today?” Sadie woofed. “That’s what I thought. I love seeing Oscar healthy.”

It took all of Jared’s patience not to leave to the park early and maybe borrow Megan’s phone to call him early. But if Jensen was still as nervous as he looked last night, Megan was probably right and Jared should just give him some space.

But it was so hard.

Sandy had given him the day off so he didn’t have a lot to do. Eventually, Jared threw the ball to Sadie in the back, and then sat with her on the porch and told her about his date with Jensen and the way Jared’s whole body lit up when they kissed. “---And I hope he wants to kiss me again today, because I really want to kiss him, but he looked a little weirded out. So Megan thinks I should wait.” Jared stroked Sadie’s fur. “I think I love him, Sadie.”

Sadie barked. Jared knew she would agree with him. Sadie was an excellent judge of character.

*

At 2:30, Jared was ready to sprint to the park. He forced himself to walk normally, maybe a _little_ bit faster, but the thought of seeing Jensen and kissing him on his pillow soft lips and hugging him and holding him. To distract the butterflies, Jared concentrated on avoiding all the cracks on the sidewalk. Then he looked for flowers and smelled the pretty, colorful ones.

Jared arrived at their usual bench and found Oscar and Jensen already sitting on it. Jensen looked uncomfortable, however, and Jared felt his enthusiasm dim. What if Jensen was here to tell him that he didn’t want Jared? That he wanted someone more normal and mature?

Jensen smiled when he saw Jared and he beamed back at his friend. “Hi,” Jared greeted when he was close enough.  
“Hey, Jay.” Jensen patted the bench. “Sit. We should talk.”

Jared sat beside Jensen and tried not to show that he was upset. He knew he wasn’t good enough. “Okay.”  
Jensen reached out and brushed a strand of hair from his face. “Don’t sound like I’m sending you to your death, Jay,” He murmured.

Jared met his eyes hesitantly. “What’s up?”

“So. That kiss.” Jensen cleared his throat nervously. “It was good. It was a really nice kiss. But I don’t want to take advantage of you or make you do anything you don’t want.”  
“But I _do_ want it!” Jared insisted. “I like you, I might even lo-,”  
“Jensen?” A soft voice said. “Is that you?”

Jensen immediately stood up. “Danneel.” The girl was beautiful. She had a kind face and swooping red hair. Her smile looked bright and sincere as she met Jensen’s gaze.

“Wow, it’s good to see you,” The girl said. Her eyes settled on Jared. “Hi! I’m Danneel.”

“I’m Jared,” He replied. “Jensen’s…”

“Friend,” Jensen jumped in. “Jared, this is Danneel.” He smiled at her. “My ex-wife and one of my closest friends. It’s hard to imagine life without her.” His smile flickered. “Hi.”

Danneel shifted and then pulled Jensen into a hug. Jensen responded in kind and Jared watched the two of them embraced. They were meant to be. Of course Jensen wanted a girl, his best friend and ex-wife who was more beautiful than sunshine. What was Jared compared to Danneel?  

Jensen was looking at the pretty girl with such fondness. There was a tiny smile on Danneel’s face and Jensen’s eyes were crinkled up happily.

“We should get lunch sometime,” Danneel suggested. “Like old times.”  
Jensen chuckled. “I think we can leave Chris out of it this time. It’d turn into something… inappropriate for people our age.”

Danneel’s laugh chimed along with his. “He needs to grow up.”  
“Steve encourages him, there’s no hope,” Jensen joked.

Jared bit his lips. The odd feeling of loneliness swooped in Jared’s stomach. Sadie and Oscar were playing a little ways a way in the grass and Jared wandered over to them. He crouched beside the two dogs and stroked their soft ears. “Maybe we should go, Sadie,” Jared whispered. Sadie whined. “Yeah, I know. You don’t want to go. I understand that. But Jensen’s with Danneel. He and Oscar can go with Danneel. We’ll go home.”

Jared was fishing for Sadie’s leash when a hand touched his arm. “Where are you going?”

“Home,” Jared muttered.

Jensen frowned. “Why? Is this about what I said?” Jensen held onto Jared’s sleeve when he tried to move away. “Let me walk you home, at least.”

“No, go with Danneel,” Jared sniffed. “She’s your wife, she’s the pretty girl who—who-,”

“Stop,” Jensen interrupted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You think—you think I want to go with _Danneel?_ ” Jensen laughed and shook his head. “We broke up for a reason, Jay. We don’t work anymore. At one point we were in love, but now we’re just friends.”  

Jared looked up at him hopefully. “Friends?”

“Jay, _you_ are the guy I took out to a movie, and kissed, and walk my dog with every Sunday.” He pulled Jared closer. “Danneel and I broke up. We’re over. You and me?” Jensen gestured between them. “This is now.”

Jared sniffed. “So, there’s a you? And me?”  
A loud laugh erupted from Jensen’s mouth. “Do you want there to be a you and me?”  
“Yes, please,” Jared replied eagerly. Jensen’s smile turned soft and kind and Jared leaned in to kiss him again. It was messy and Jared’s lips hurt at the pressure. “Ow,” He muttered when they pulled away. Jensen chuckled again and kissed Jared again, softer and in a way that made Jared’s knees go weak and his stomach dance. “Wow.”  
“Good kiss?”

“Awesome kiss,” Jared sighed.

Jensen’s head jolted up and looked at the bench where Danneel was still standing. “Um.”

“We’ll go out to lunch sometime, and you can explain it.” Danneel smiled understandingly. “Jared, you could come too. And if you don’t mind,” Danneel looked shyly at Jensen, “I’d like to bring Aldis.”

“Ooh, new boyfriend?” Jensen teased.

Danneel blushed. “Maybe.”

Jensen held his hand in hers. “I’m happy for you.”

“Me too,” Danneel agreed. Danneel and Jensen exchanged fond looks before Danneel broke her gaze to smile at Oscar. “Nice meeting you, Oscar. And you too, Jared.”

Jared waved goodbye because it was impolite not to wave goodbye, even if the woman was the woman who Jensen used to love. Jensen loved _him_ now. Not Danneel. His smiled broadened at the thought.

“Are you happy?” Jensen asked once Danneel had left.

“I think so.” Jared grinned. “Can I have another kiss?”  
“Oh, Jay,” Jensen smirked. “You can have all the kisses you want.”

 ****

“So,” Jensen started. “I’m dating Jared.”

“I figured,” Josh replied.

“I’ve also kissed him.”  
“Predictably.”

Jensen groaned. “You know, this conversation would be a lot more stimulating if you actually contributed. ‘I told you so’ gets boring after a while, don’t you think, Josh?”

Josh shrugged. “I knew it. Which reminds me-,” He turned and yelled into the kitchen, “Mack! You owe me 20 bucks!”

“What? You two-,” Jensen glared at his brother. “You and Mack _bet_ on my _relationship_?”

“Yeah, she thought I’d be at _least_ another month before you pulled your head out of your ass. But I knew you’d man up and do it sooner.” Josh popped a grape into his mouth and smiled smugly. The smell of grilled chicken and potatoes drifted out of the kitchen from where Donna was cooking. Alan and Mack were standing around her trying to mooch scraps.

“Allie will be happy, at least,” Josh said. “She always thought you two would make a cute couple.”

“Well, it’s nice to know someone was rooting for us for reasons other than money,”

Jensen said. Josh shifted and Jensen’s jaw dropped. “Allie too? Really?”

“I made 40 bucks off your relationship.” Josh smirked. “I can’t possibly be sorry.”

“I’m never coming to family dinner’s ever again. I always end up finding out something I don’t want to. Like the fact that my sister, sister-in-law, and brother have been betting on when I’ll hook up with Jared!”

Josh blushed again. “Technically we bet on when you’d start _dating_ Jared. When you, uh, actually ‘hook up’ with Jared is another bet.”  
Jensen threw up his hands. “I give up! My family is obsessed with my sex life! At least my parents aren’t in on it.”

Josh bit his lip. “Um, actually…”

*

Jensen tried to glare at his family members but Katie chirped so happily about her school art projects and it was impossible to be mad at anyone when he was eating his momma’s cooking. Josh seemed overly enthusiastic in recounting Jensen’s story of his maybe-actually-date with Jared. Jensen knew it was a mistake to tell his brother every detail about his relationship. Josh would probably abuse the information for the rest of his life, but Jensen couldn’t deny him. Jensen willingly abuses any embarrassing details about Josh, because that’s what brothers do.

“I’m happy for you,” his mom said. “It’s nice to see you smile again.”

“You mean grin like a lovesick puppy dog,” Mack corrected. She stuck her tongue out at Jensen when he threw a piece of lettuce at her.

“So, the fact that it’s a boy…” Jensen trailed off.

“Of course we don’t care,” Alan replied. “You’re our son. Whomever you love is whom you love, and we won’t ever think about separating you two.”

“Not that any efforts you made would be effective,” Josh jumped in. “Jensen’s pathetically, hopelessly gone.”  
Allie swatted his arm. “Be happy for your brother. And no more mocking, it’s setting a bad example for our daughter.”  
“Katie is drinking a juice box and staring at Mack, like always. She has no interest in me,” Josh whined.

“No more whining or mocking,” Allie said firmly.

“Whipped,” Jensen muttered under his breath. Josh glared at him and kicked him under the table. “Ow! Fucker!”

“Language, Jensen,” Donna scolded.

“Yeah, _language_ Jensen,” Josh mimicked.

“Josh! What did I tell you?”

“Allie…”

Mack snickered. “I’m _never_ getting a boyfriend.”  
“Good,” Josh and Jensen said together.

“Come on, let’s go watch a movie. Hopefully that will shut you two up,” Donna grumbled.

It didn’t.

***** 

Momma was standing in the foyer when Jared and Sadie returned. She was wiping down the kitchen counter and when she saw Jared, her posture turned stiff and skeptical. “How was your walk?”

“Wonderful,” Jared breathed. “Jensen likes me.”

That made Momma frown, not smile. “Jared… Jensen seems to be quite influential. I think we should have him over for dinner to get to know him better.”

“That would be fine! Jensen would love that, he’s so perfect. I know you’ll love him, Momma, I _know_ you will.” Jared bounced happily to the room with the image of Momma laughing with Jensen and realizing how amazing Jensen truly is.

“My Jensen,” Jared breathed. “ _My_ Jensen.” He sank on to the couch in the living room. “This is so fantastic.”

“What’s got my little brother so happy?” Jeff entered the room. “Did you teach Sadie a new trick?”  
“Sadie already knows every trick,” Jared reminded him. “She’s the smartest dog there is.”

“She is a very talented dog,” Jeff agreed. He stroked Sadie’s ears and she smiled at him. “So what has you smiling?”

“Jensen,” Jared explained. “He’s going to come over for dinner and then _everyone_ will see how perfect he is. He likes me so much, and I like him, and it’s turned out so well. I can’t imaging being happier.”

Jeff didn’t look unhappy, but he wasn’t celebrating either. “Why are you upset?” Jared asked. “Isn’t this a good thing?”

“I worry about you,” Jeff explained. “Caroline thinks Jensen might not be good for you, and she has some points-,”  
“She does _not_!” Jared protested. “I don’t know why everyone is so set on taking away Jensen when the only thing he’s ever done is make me happy.”

“We don’t want to take him away, we just want to make sure that he’s treating you well.”

“He is,” Jared said fiercely. “He’ll come over for dinner and you’ll all see how special he is.”

Jared borrowed Megan’s phone and dialed in the number written on the paper Jensen gave him. It rang three times until Jensen’s beautiful voice answered, “Hello?”

“It’s me,” Jared said. “I’m using Megan’s phone.”  
“Oh, hi Jay!” Jensen’s voice turned animated. “You made it home okay?”

“Yes, and our walk was very fun. I told Momma and Megan all about it, and Momma wants to have you over for dinner so everyone can meet you,” Jared said. “Can you come?”

“Probably,” Jensen replied. “When did you have in mind?”  
“Tomorrow?” Jared suggested. “I’ll ask Momma, hold on.” Jared hollered, “Momma! When can Jensen come over for dinner? He said he could come tomorrow!”

“Don’t yell,” Momma scolded. “And if he is available for tomorrow we would love to have him over.“

“Did you hear that?” Jared asked. “Momma said you could come tomorrow.”  
Jensen chuckled. “Then tomorrow it is, Jay. I’ll see you for dinner. Should I bring anything?”  
“Just yourself,” Jared replied. “I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too, Jay,” Jensen replied softly.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

*

Momma had told Jared to invite Jensen at 6:30. Jensen worked late so Jared thought it should be later, but Momma said people ate dinner at 6:30 and that was that. Jensen had assured Jared that 6:30 was fine, and it wouldn’t be a problem to be there at 6:30, and he couldn’t wait to formally meet Jared’s family. Jared loved him a little bit more for that.

When the doorbell rang Monday night at _exactly_ 6:30, Jared jumped up excitedly. “Jensen’s here!”

Caroline had come with Jeff and Momma was sitting with a skeptical expression. Daddy looked interested and Megan was grinning bright and beautifully as always. The seat next to Jared was empty and waiting for Jensen to sit next to him.

Jared’s feet skid across the smooth wooden floor in an effort to reach the door. He yanked it open eagerly and Jensen’s perfect face looked up at him. “Hi, Jay.”  
“Jensen!” Jared pulled him into a bear hug. “You came!”

“Don’t be fooled, I came for free food,” Jensen teased. “I was going to bake something, but it didn’t turn out well.” Jensen frowned in thought.

“It’s the thought that counts,” Jared offered. Jensen chuckled.

“Gonna introduce me?” Jensen asked. Jared realized he hadn’t actually let Jensen into the house and stumbled over himself to make room. Jensen flashed him a bright smile and Jared wanted to kiss him so bad his whole body ached with it. Jensen must have noticed because he squeezed Jared’s hand. “Let’s wait until your family isn’t in the other room.”

Jared pouted. “Small one?”  
Jensen kissed Jared’s cheek and chuckled when Jared whine for more. “Patience, Jay.”

“Jared!” Jeff’s voice exclaimed. “Are you going to introduce us to Jensen anytime soon, or conspire with him in the other room?”  
Jared frowned. “Why would I want to conspire with Jensen? He’s a good guy.”   
“He’s teasing, Jay,” Jensen said gently. “He’s just asking to meet me.”   
“Oh, okay.” Jared lit up and tugged Jensen into the dining room where his family was waiting. He pushed Jensen in front of him and put an arm around his shoulders. “Everyone, this is Jensen. Jensen, this is my momma, daddy, Jeff, you already know Megan, and Caroline.” The last name tasted like vinegar in Jared’s mouth. Caroline was mean and Jensen was so nice. She shouldn’t be around to meet him.

“It’s nice to meet all of you,” Jensen said in his deep, warm voice. He shook hands with everyone and kissed Megan on her cheek. “Nice to see you again, Megan.”

“You two, Jense. How’s Oscar?”  
Jensen rolled his eyes and Jared grinned at the adorableness. “He’s tripping over his own feet, and refuses to sit without the promise of treats.” Jared giggled and Jensen winked at him before sitting down. Jared sneakily reached for Jensen’s hand under the table and a small smile winked on Jensen’s face.

“So, Jensen,” Momma started. “Jared’s told us so much about you. You sound like a very interesting man.” Her cheeks reddened slightly when Jensen gave her a bright smile.

“Jared flatters me,” Jensen said fondly. “My life is fairly monotonous, actually. Well, it was. But then I got Oscar, and he’s made life much more eventful for me.”

“Jared said you worked with numbers?” Jeff asked.

“I’m the executive in the accounting section of JD’s Advertising.” Jensen shrugged. “People think being an executive makes accounting more interesting, and I hope to set you all straight and assure you that it’s not.” Jensen flashed one of his brilliant smiles and Momma giggled. Jensen was so charming.

“So, Jared,” Jeff started. “How would you describe your relationship with Jared?”  
“Jeff!” Megan exclaimed. “What kind of question is that?”  
“An honest one. I’m a big brother looking out for my little brother-,”  
“You’re being a jerk!”

“Megan!” Momma scolded.

“He is,” Megan grumbled. “You don’t have to answer that, Jensen.”  
“Yeah, of course not,” Caroline added. She leaned forward and grinned sweetly. “Tell us more about _you_ , Jensen.”

Jeff narrowed his eyes at the change in subject but let it drop. Jensen continued to talk and Jared lost himself in the honey sweet voice that belonged to Jensen.

*

After dinner Jensen and Jared sat out on the porch steps with bowls of ice cream that Jared managed to wiggle out from Momma. Jensen had chocolate ice cream on his lips and cheeks and Jared giggled at him.

“Laughing at me, Jay?” Jensen raised an eyebrow. “I’ll get you for that.” He grabbed Jared’s sleeve and wiped his face on it.   
“Ew! Jensen!” Jared shoved him off and Jensen cackled. “Do you want to hang out with me tomorrow?”  
“I have to work,” Jensen said apologetically. “And I have a meeting so I probably won’t be out until 8:00 at least.”

Jared frowned but understood. “Jobs suck.”   
“You have a job at the animal shelter,” Jensen pointed out.

Jared shrugged and leaned his head on Jensen’s shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”  
“Yeah, call me whenever you want.” Jensen kissed his temple. “Bye, Jay.”  
“Bye.” Jared squeezed his hand and smiled happily. He really loved his boyfriend.  


	11. Poor Girl

Jensen wasn’t so sure about Jared’s family. Megan was wonderful and sweet, and Jared’s dad was alright, but Caroline was a wretched woman and Jeff was a dunce for marrying a woman that bullied his younger brother.  “I don’t think you’d like them either,” Jensen told Oscar. “They seem like the kind of people that would kick puppies.”

Oscar cocked his head and whined. “Yeah, don’t worry, I’m not gonna give you up to those people. Is it bad that I’m not supportive of my boyfriend’s family?” Oscar didn’t give any response and Jensen shook his head. “I don’t know why I look for advice from a _dog_. But the other option is my brother and I think we can all agree that we’re not walking down _that_ dangerous path again.”

Oscar whined. “I know you like him, but he’s a loud mouth.”

Jensen yawned. “That dinner wore me out, man. I practically had to restrain myself so I didn’t lunge at that stupid bitch. I just want to take Jared away from them, ya know? I want to show him that he’s free to be himself with me. I don’t have any expectations or limits. Fat chance his parents would even _consider_ letting their baby boy live with a practical stranger.

Well, he wasn’t a stranger to _Jared_. He was—hopefully—a whole lot more than a stranger to his boyfriend. Jensen smiled happily around the word. “Boyfriend,” Jensen sighed. Just a month ago, being with anyone other than Danneel would have been the most ridiculous notion Jensen had ever heard of. But now, dating Jared, Jensen couldn’t think that any relationship was more perfect. He hadn’t felt the nervous butterflies he felt around Jared since his first year with Danneel. He hoped the happy feeling never went away. He wanted to spend many more years with Jared, laughing and making him laugh for as long as possible.

****

Jared didn’t want to change a single thing about his life right now. He had a boyfriend that his family loved and a family that his boyfriend loved. Sadie was smiling at him too. “Yeah, it was an awesome night,” Jared beamed. “I want to see him again but he has to go to _work._ And I know he doesn’t like his job. He should be doing something he _likes_ , don’t you think?”

Jared yawned. “I want breakfast and then we can go to the animal shelter. I hope more animals get adopted. Maybe even Bone. He’s so cranky, though. I think you need to talk to him and tell him that if he wasn’t such a grump someone would definitely adopt him.”

Sadie looked at him suspiciously. “Yeah, I know,” Jared conceded. “That dog is too stubborn to stop. But it’s worth the effort, don’t you think? No one deserves to be in a cage all the time. Especially not a dog.”

Jared slid on his most comfortable pants, even if they were a little worn. Momma would tell him to change later, but the soft pants felt so nice. Maybe Momma would make waffles and bacon for breakfast if Jared asked really nicely.

Jared heard whispers in the kitchen and Momma had told him so many times, _never_ listen in on people’s private conversations. Jared decided to leave but then his brother said _his_ name.

“He’s friends with dogs! And his sister! He has no one, Mom, for a reason! He’s retarded!”

“Jeff-,” Megan started.

“You think Jensen cares about him? He pities Jared! Nothing more!”

“That’s not _true_!” Megan protested. “Jensen loves Jared.” She glared at Jeff and then turned to Momma. “And _you_. Thinking about telling Jared he’s not allowed to see Jensen? What kind of mother are you?”

Jared peaked around the corner to see his two siblings and mother arguing in the kitchen. Jeff was leaning against the counter, but Momma and Meg were standing and pointing at each other angrily.

“I’m just doing what’s best for him,” Momma protested.   
“You’re doing what’s best for _you_ , you always do,” Megan snapped.

“I am _not_! How dare you accuse me of that? And your tone is horrendous, young lady, you watch your mouth!”

“Jared is so _happy_ with Jensen! Jensen makes Jared feel loved, feel special. He’s never made Jared feel anything less than what he is, and _you_ want to that that _away_.” Megan shook her head with wet eyes. “I can’t believe you sometimes, Momma. You say you love him but you and Daddy keep holding him back! You don’t love him! You’re _ashamed_ of him! Jeff isn’t even having Jared in his wedding party!”

Jeff shifted uncomfortably. “You know why I can’t have that…”  
“Yeah, I know,” Megan snarled. “Because although you claim to love Jared, you don’t show him an ounce of affection. Hell, you don’t even notice that your goddamn _fiancée_ bullies your brother.”   
“That’s ridiculous,” Jeff scoffed. “She would nev-,”  
“She would,” Megan interrupted. “But it doesn’t matter. You need to let Jared be with the only person that treats him like he deserves to be treated.”

Jared put his fist in his mouth to stop the tears that threatened to fall. His Momma didn’t want him to be with Jensen? But he loved Jensen so much. Jensen was everything. And Jensen loved him too. He didn’t pity him. That couldn’t be true.

“Jared?” A soft voice asked. “Are you out there?” Megan poked her head around the corner. “Jare-,”

“It’s not true,” Jared insisted. “He doesn’t pity me.”  
“Of course it’s not,” Megan soothed. “Don’t listen to Jeff.”

Momma left the kitchen to stand in front of Jared. “Jarebear, you know we didn’t mean those things. We just want what’s best for you. We love you.”  
Jared sniffed. “Then why don’t you want me to be with Jensen?”  
“We want you to be happy,” Momma said.

“He makes me happy. You keep trying to take him away. You try and take all the things that make me happy away!” Jared tried to stop the words because they were wrong and mean and he shouldn’t talk to Momma like that, but they kept coming. “You don’t like me working at the shelter or hanging out with Jensen or having a dog but those things make me smile! Not going out to stuffy dinners and hanging out with people that are _mean_ to me!”

“Jared, calm down,” Jeff tried to soothe. 

Jared shook his head and pushed back his brother to run out the front door. Sadie barked and ran after him. Jared just wanted to run to Jensen and hug him and let Jensen hold him and whisper that he _didn’t_ pity Jared and that Jensen loved Jared like Jared loved him.

Jared ran across the street even though you’re not supposed to run across the street without looking both ways and waiting at the crosswalk. But he was so sad and angry so he forgot the rule. Sadie, like the obedient dog she was, followed him across the street.

Jared turned when he heard the car honk and his dog jogging across the street to get to him. The car got closer and Sadie never looked smaller. Jared knew what was going to happen and he tried to run into the street to get to her, but the truck moved faster than Jared did. The pained yelp ripped through Jared’s heart like a knife.

“Sadie!” Jared screamed.

It was sunny, and Jensen kept the blinds open in the windows so the light could stream in. It was illuminating everything inside the office. Jensen supposed it was true what they said; when it was sunny, you just felt better. Even the accounting was going easy today. His secretary had brought him coffee just the way he liked it and at the pace it was going, Jensen might be able to leave work early and pick Jared up at the animal shelter.

“You’re in a good mood,” Kristin commented.

Jensen winked at his secretary. “I’ve had a nice few days.”

“Then maybe this is a good time to ask for a raise,” Kristin teased. “Seeing as the secretary’s job is to answer phones and here I am, brining you coffee and lunch.”  
Jensen perked up. “You brought me lunch?”

Kristin rolled her eyes and dropped a bag from the bagel store down the street. “So what’s made your past few days so nice?”  
Jensen pulled a cheese bagel out from the bag. “Yum. And Jared.”  
“Ooh, are you _dating_?” Kristin teased.

Jensen glared at her. “How old are you?”

“That’s a yes,” Kristin sing-songed. “Well if he makes you happy, then I’m glad. How’s the sex?”

Jensen spluttered. “What—no—sex—what—Kristin!”   
“No sex then,” Kristin replied. “Taking it slow?”

“Don’t laugh,” Jensen warned

“Relax, it’s sweet. This boy sounds like he deserves all the love and patience in the world,” Kristin said.

“He does,” Jensen agreed. “His family… they don’t get it. They love him, of course, but I think they just don’t see how amazing he is.”

“Yeah, family can be blind when it comes to protecting the ones they love,” Kristin agreed. “Often times what they think is best isn’t so good at all.”

Jensen nodded. “It makes me wonder—I think _I’m_ protecting him, but what if I’m making it worse? What if I’m smothering him?”  
Kristin smiled. “How could anyone _not_ love you, Jensen? I’m sure you’re the first person to treat this boy like he deserves.”

“All I want is for him to be happy,” Jensen explained. “He has dimples,” He added as an afterthought.  
“Didn’t know you were a sucker for dimples, Mr. Ackles,” Kristin giggled.

“Oh, get out of my office and answer my phones,” Jensen told her. The two of them wore big smiles.

Jensen startled when his office door slammed open. Megan stood in the doorway, eyes frantic. “Jensen!”

“Megan, what’s wrong?” Jensen stood up and walked over to the distraught girl. “Is something wrong with Jared?”  
“Sadie—car—hospital-,” Megan sobbed. “Jared’s so upset, Sadie was his best friend!”

Jensen pulled Megan into a tight hug. “Shh, it’s okay, it’s all gonna be okay.” He looked up at Kristin. “Jared’s dog Sadie was hit by a car,” He explained. “Jared loved that dog, I don’t know…” He shook his head. “Can you tell Misha I had a family emergency?”  
“Of course,” Kristin replied. “Go, be with your boyfriend.”

Jensen smiled gratefully at her and let Megan tug him out of the office. “What happened?” He asked her.

“Jared overheard Mom, Jeff, and me arguing. We said some mean things and he heard all of them. He ran out the house and Sadie followed him.” She sniffled. “Jared got across the street okay but Sadie’s a dog, she doesn’t understand cars and horns. Jared screamed and that brought the rest of us outside. We took her to the shelter and Sam called her veterinarian friend but Jensen—Jense, she was hit by a truck. Sadie’s a big dog, but it’s so hard to be optimistic. I’m just trying to hold on for Jare.”  

“Sadie’s strong,” Jensen said with conviction. “She’s gonna be okay.” He put a strong arm around Megan’s shoulders and pulled her close to him. “My car’s in the garage, if I push the speed limit we can be there in 10 minutes.”

*

Jensen pushed open the door to the shelter and ignored the loud clang of the bell. “Jared! Jay, where are you?”

“Jensen, you’re here!” Sandy appeared beside him. “He’s in the back with Dr. Beaver. He’s miserable, he won’t do anything except cry. He needs you.”

Jensen didn’t take another second before running back into the veterinarian section of the shelter. The door was closed. Jared was whimpering in a chair in the hallway with his head in his hands, Jeff and Sherri sitting on either side of him. “Jay?”  
Jared looked up immediately with red, puffy eyes. Suddenly, Jensen had an armful of weepy Jared. Through big, hiccupping sobs Jared managed to squeeze out, “She’s hurt, she’s hurt real bad and it’s _my_ fault it’s _my_ fault-,”

“No, shh,” Jensen rubbed his back. “No, baby, no, that’s not true. C’mon, let’s sit. That’s it, just sit. Breathe with me, Jay. In, out. In, out. Good job, Jay.” Jensen kissed his temple tenderly. “I’m here, Jay.”  Jensen held Jared’s head against his chest.

“Here, sit here,” Jeff said gently. He stood up and Jensen gratefully took the chair. Jared leaned on him and nuzzled his head into Jensen’s neck.

“I want her to live,” Jared whispered. “She can’t die, Jen. She can’t.”

“She’s a strong dog, and Dr. Beaver is doing everything he can.” Jensen rubbed Jared’s neck soothingly. “We have to be patient, Jay, and hope.”

“Don’t leave me,” Jared whispered. “Don’t leave me.”  
“They’d have to pry me away with a crossbar,” Jensen promised. “And even that might not work.”  

“Thanks, Jen.” Jared kissed his neck. “I love you.” A little sob escaped. “No one’s ever treated me like you do. I didn’t think I’d ever find anyone but I did. I found you. And I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jensen whispered. It was the strangest time for a confession, surrounded by Jared’s family while a veterinarian operated on Jared’s beloved dog on the other side of the door.

“I’m gonna go get a coffee,” Jeff said. “Anyone else want something?”

Sherri asked for a coffee and Megan asked for hot chocolate, but Jared shook his head into Jensen’s neck and Jensen agreed. He would probably throw up anything that went into his stomach.

“It’s gonna be okay, Jay,” Jensen whispered.

“’M sleepy,” Jared mumbled.

Long periods of crying often made Jensen tired too. “Take a nap, baby, I’ll wake you up when Dr. Beaver comes out.”

Jared fell asleep quickly and Jensen adjusted his arm so he could comb through Jared’s thick, soft hair. They waited for an hour before Dr. Beaver opened the door and snapped off his latex gloves. Jensen hesitated to wake up his boyfriend. If the news was bad, Jensen would want to break it to Jared in a gentler way later. But he knew that Jared would hate being treated differently and he loved that dog more than life itself.

“Jay, baby, wake up,” Jensen whispered. “Dr. Beaver has something to tell us.”

Jared stirred and rubbed his eyes adorably. If conditions were different, Jensen would chuckle and kiss Jared’s nose.

“Sadie is a strong dog,” Dr. Beaver started. “But the truck hit her pretty hard. She had broken ribs, two broken legs, a punctured kidney and some internal bleeding.” Jared sobbed and Jensen held him tighter. “But,” Beaver continued. “She is a strong girl. She’s sedated right now but after a few months, Sadie will be good as new.”

“She’s gonna be okay?” Jared asked, voice hoarse.

Dr. Beaver smiled kindly at the man. “She’s going to be just fine.”

Jared’s entire body sagged onto Jensen. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jensen replied. “And now Sadie and Oscar are both strong, healthy survivors.”

Jared looked like Christmas had come early. “Can I see her?”

“Sure. Come on back, Jared,” Dr. Beaver agreed.

Jared glanced at Jensen. “Come with me?”

“Of course, Jay, whatever you want.” Jensen followed Jared into the backroom with his eyes firmly on his boyfriend’s beautiful mop of hair, and the small dimples that barely peeked out.

Sadie had bandages on her sides and braces on her legs, but her tail started wagging furiously when she saw Jared. “Hi, girl,” Jared cooed. “Hi, Sadie!” He hugged her neck gently and she covered his face in kisses.

Jensen stroked her ears while Jared hugged his dog. “She’s okay,” Jared breathed. “We’re okay.”   
Jensen kissed his boyfriend. “We’re great, babe.”


	12. Do You Wanna Stay the Night?

Sadie stayed in the shelter for three days. She was too weak to be moved to the vet, but Dr. Beaver came every day to check up on her and make sure that she’s safe. Jared sat patiently in the chair and held onto Jensen or Megan’s hand as tight as he could when one of them sat with him. He didn’t even want to go home and sleep, but Jensen would gently pull him to his feet and kiss him and how was Jared supposed to ignore that?

Currently, Jared was curled up in a chair with Jeff next to him. The conversation was stilted and he wished that Jensen was with him instead so he could hug and kiss Jared and make sure he was okay. Jeff looked like he didn’t want to be there at all. “You can leave,” Jared muttered. “Don’t let me keep you here.” Sadie was fast asleep and Jared was tempted to walk over and cradle his dog in his arms. But she was too weak. It hurt his heart.

“I talked to Caroline,” Jeff started. Jared hummed, but didn’t say anything. “She denies being rude to you.”   
“She’s a lying bitch,” Jared said, repeating Jensen’s insult.

Jeff glared. “Don’t talk about my fiancée like that.”   
“Then stop letting her call me stupid and in-incomp-incompetent. She’s _mean_.” Jared shrunk in on himself. “She makes me hurt. Makes me feel hurt,” Jared corrected. “I don’t like her.”

“Well you’re not the one marrying her,” Jeff pointed out.

Jared shrugged. “Jensen says I have a right to voice my opinion. He says that I’m equally as important as anyone else. I know I’m different, Jeff, I know I’m not as smart as everyone else. But I’m not stupid. Jensen told me that I’m better than most people because I know how to love.” Jared refused to look at his brother. “Caroline doesn’t know how to love.”

Jeff sighed. “I’ll talk to her again.”

Jared knew that she wouldn’t change her mind. Everyone still thought he was dumb and useless. “I want to marry Jensen,” Jared murmured to himself. Jeff choked.

“I wasn’t under the impression you were dating,” Jeff said.

Jared smiled at his beautiful dog. “Surprise.”

Someone knocked on the door. “Can I come in?” Jensen’s pretty smile poked around the corner.

“Jensen!” Jared jumped him and wound his arms around his boyfriend. “Hi.”

Jensen chuckled. “Hi, Jay. How are you?”

“’M okay.”  
“How’s Sadie?” Jensen asked.

“Better,” Jared said. “She can come home soon. She has to be on rest, no walking or running. _Especially_ no running.”

“I guess that means our Sunday walks are out for now,” Jensen pointed out.

Jared’s face fell. He hadn’t thought about that. Jared looked forward to those walks more than anything and now he couldn’t have them anymore. “Oh.”

“Hey,” Jensen cupped his face. “That doesn’t mean we won’t hang out anymore. I’ll still come over on Sundays. And instead of Sunday walks, we can have Sunday movie nights or afternoons.”  
Jared looked at him hopefully. “With popcorn?”  
“ _And_ sour candy,” Jensen promised. He kissed Jared lightly and his whole body lit up like sunshine. Jeff cleared his throat and Jensen glanced at him. “Nice to see you, Jeff.”  
“You as well,” Jeff responded just as stiffly. Jensen stroked a hand through Jared’s hair. “I’ll see you at home?”

Jared nodded, even though the fact that leaving Jensen sucked. Jensen noticed his discomfort. “I will see you tomorrow,” Jensen assured.

It didn’t make Jared any happier. He always felt safer with Jensen’s arms around him, hugging him and kissing him. He hadn’t been sleeping well since Sadie had been in the accident. And with his family’s mean words around him, Jared felt really sad.

Momma’s head popped into the room. “It’s 7:00, Jared, it’s time to leave.”

Jared tightened his grip on Jensen. Jared didn’t want to leave him. Jensen eased Jared back into the uncomfortable chair. “Wait here a moment. I’ll be right back, okay? Just watch Sadie.”  

Jared nodded. Anything Jensen ever did was to protect Jared.

 *** 

“I need to talk to you,” Jensen gritted at Jeff. “Outside.” He walked down the hallway and listened to the steps of Jared’s brother and mom following him. “I don’t want Jared going home with you.”

Sherri looked at him like he had lost his mind. “You’re a stranger.”   
“Not to Jared,” Jensen pointed out. “We’re dating, in case that’s escaped your attention. I care about him. And the last thing I’d ever want to do in the world is make my boyfriend run out of my house in tears and then watch his dog get hit by a car and then listen to him tell me about how stupid his family thinks he is. I guess you don’t feel the same way. So yeah, I think that Jared coming home with me is a smarter decision.”

“He’s my boy!” Sherri hissed back.

“He’s an adult and perfectly capable of making his own decisions. When was the last time you asked Jared what _he_ wanted instead of making the decisions for him?” Jensen shot back.

“No, absolutely not,” Jeff said. “Not a chance in hell.”

Momma just stared at Jensen. “What are your intentions?”

“To show him just how special he is,” Jensen said. “I know what you assume, I’m not naïve. I know what you think I’m going to do. And I’m not going to do this. There’s more to this relationship than sex.” Jensen sighed. “You are his mother, and despite the fact that he’s a functioning 23 year old, I will respect your decision.”

“Well than the answer is no, absolutely not,” Jeff declared.

“No, Jeff,” Sherri whispered. “He’s right. Jared… he looks different around Jensen. Happy.” She looked at Jensen. “I can’t hold him back anymore. It’s making him miserable.” 

Jeff glared at Jensen. “If you try _anything_ -,”

“Yeah, you’ll kill me,” Jensen drawled. “I’m going to go talk to Jared.”

Jared, of course, was absolutely thrilled with the news and hugged his mother almost as tightly as he hugged Jensen. “Will you take me home now?” Jared asked innocently.

“Yes, Jay, I will.” Jensen linked his fingers with Jared’s and could barely contain his love for the man. It hit him light a train, the fact that he’d fallen so hard for the man that he’d known for only a month. But it was Jared, and he was so easy to love. Jensen squeezed his hand and smiled fondly at him. “Let’s go home.”

Jared beamed at him and followed Jensen into the car.  

*

“Hungry?” Jensen asked. “When was the last time that you ate something substantial?”

“I had a sandwich for lunch,” Jared murmured shyly. The soft voice sent a wave of the urge to protect Jared through Jensen.

“Why don’t we order some pizza?” Jensen offered. “What kind of toppings do you think?”  
“I dunno, I don’t have pizza a lot. But I like pepperoni and cheese,” Jared said.

“Then that’s exactly what we’ll get.” Jensen grabbed a menu from the listed numbers on the fridge. He ordered delivery because he was way too lazy to drive to the store and pick it up. And he definitely didn’t want to leave Jared alone.

It came in about 45 minutes, and in the time between, Jared lay on the couch with his head in Jensen’s lap. A Die Hard movie was on, but neither of them was paying much attention.  They just curled up together and Jensen debated leaving the pizza guy on the steps in favor of staying on the couch with Jared. But Jared’s stomach growled and Jensen maneuvered himself out from under Jared and paid the delivery boy. He went back to Jared afterwards and they ate pizza on the couch, wiping their greasy fingers on their clothing or licking their fingers and laughing together. As promised, Jensen made popcorn and poured a bag of Jared’s favorite sour candy—that Jensen just happened to have around—into the bowl.

“Thank you for letting me come home with you,” Jared said. He took a handful of popcorn and candy into his mouth.

Jensen smiled. “I was happy you agreed to it.” Oscar sat at their feet and looked hopefully for a piece or two of popcorn.   
“Why’d you want me to come?” Jared asked quietly.

“Why would I _not_ want you to be here?” Jensen countered. “You’re one of my best friends, my boyfriend, the one person that I couldn’t stand to lose. I can’t stop staring at you when we’re together and you’re all I think about when we’re apart.” Jensen knew he sounded sappy but he wanted to convince Jared how much Jensen loved him.

Jared smiled happily and curled up to Jensen and nuzzled his neck. “I feel the same way about you,” Jared whispered.

Jensen felt like he was walking on clouds.

 ****

Today had gone from an awful day of watching his dog in pain and covered in bandages to a great day, with Dr. Beaver telling him Sadie could come home tomorrow and staying the night with Jensen. Jensen was warm and comfortable and he was full on pizza and popcorn and against his will, Jared started to drift off. When he yawned, Jensen smiled fondly at him. “Time for bed, Jay.”

“’M not tired,” Jared yawned.

“Liar,” Jensen teased, poking Jared in his ticklish spot. Jared giggled and swat at his boyfriend’s hand. “C’mon sleepyhead, I’ll take you to your bed.”

Jared stood up and followed him sleepily. He tried to cuddle close to Jensen even while they were walking, and Jensen supported him with an arm around his waist. “You’re the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Jensen said.

Jared giggled and kissed Jensen’s cheek. “You’re cute.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Dork,” He teased affectionately. He lay Jared onto a soft bed and tucked the covers around him. “If you need anything, I’m right down the hall, okay?”  
Jared frowned. “We’re not sharing a bed?”

Jensen kissed his forehead. “Not tonight, baby.”

“Don’t you want me?” Jared whined. “I want to sleep with you.”

Jensen looked pained. “Just tonight, love. I promised your family to take care of you.”

Jared rolled away. This wasn’t taking care of him. This just hurt. Jensen didn’t love him like Jared loved Jensen, and he didn’t want to share a bed with him. His back was to Jensen and when his boyfriend whispered, “Goodnight, baby,” Jared just grunted and tucked the blankets tighter around him.  Jensen stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head. Maybe it was childish and ridiculous, but he was hurt. He wanted to curl up with the man he loved and sleep with him. He wanted to be with Sadie but she was sick and now he couldn’t sleep with Jensen either.

Jared adjusted his position a couple times but he couldn’t get comfortable. He wanted to roll over and wrap his arms around Jensen.

Eventually he couldn’t stand it anymore. If he could just look at Jensen for a few minutes he could fall asleep.  

He pushed open the door to Jensen’s room as quietly as possible and peered inside. There was a Jensen-sized lump under the covers. Even though the room was dark, Jared could see the flutter of his eyelashes and his chest rising. He slipped inside and just watched Jensen. He really wanted to sneak under the covers and cuddle with him. Jensen was warm and snuggly.

Jensen shifted under the covers. “Jay? Is that you?” He reached over and flicked on the light. “What do you need, baby?”

“I just wanted to see you,” Jared said honestly. It was embarrassing and almost as childish as ignoring Jensen.

Jensen smiled. “Can’t sleep?” He patted the bed. “C’mere, Jay.”

Jared shook his head and walked over to Jensen’s bed. At Jensen’s nod, he peeled back the covers and slid inside. Jared hesitated for a second before sliding over and snuggling under Jensen’s arm. “Hi.”

Jensen stroked his hair. “Sleep, Jay.” He turned off the slight.

“Jensen?”  
“Hm?”

Jared bit his lip and then said, “I love you.”

Jensen didn’t say anything and Jared knew he’d screamed it all up. But right as Jared was about to roll away, Jensen whispered, “I love you too. And I never wanted to give you the impression I didn’t want to hold you while we slept. I was just scared I was going to fast.””

“We’re just cuddling,” Jared huffed.

Jensen laughed quietly. “I suppose we are. Now let’s go to sleep, I have to get up and go to work tomorrow.”

Exhaustion hit Jared and he pulled the covers tight around him. “Night, Jen.”   
“Goodnight, Jay. Sweet dreams.” Soft lips touched Jared’s temple right as he slipped into sleep.

*

Jared woke up with his arm around Jensen’s chest and his nestled into his neck. He hummed happily. Jensen was comfortable and Jared snuggled closer like his boyfriend was a teddy bear. A small smile appeared on Jensen’s face and Jared wondered what he was dreaming about. Jared hoped Jensen was dreaming about him. A matching smile danced on Jared’s face. Jared’s heart swelled with love, especially recalling Jensen’s whispered, “I love you” last night.

“Are you awake?” Jensen murmured. His eyes were still closed but the smile on his face grew.

“You’re very pretty,” Jared blurted. He thought it the first time he saw Jensen so many weeks ago, and he still thought it now.

Jensen blushed. “Do I still look lonely?”

Jared traced his fingers across the smooth, taught skin of Jensen’s stomach. The abs flexed under his fingers. Jared felt a strange feeling between his legs. “You don’t look lonely anymore. You look smiley. And happy. And in-,” Jared bit his lip.

“And in love,” Jensen finished. “So completely, crazily in love.” He kissed Jared slowly. “With this cute guy I met at an animal shelter.” Jensen pushed a lock of hair out of Jared’s face. “And you know what?” He whispered. “He’s the most amazing guy I’ve ever met. He’s… no one else will ever compare.”

“You’re talking about me,” Jared chirped happily. “ _I’m_ that guy.”

“Well, actually I was talking about Chad,” Jensen teased. Jared frowned for a moment before he saw the amused glint in Jensen’s eyes.

“Jerk,” Jared grumbled. He shoved Jensen’s shoulder and he burst out laughing.

“Did you actually think I was interested in _Chad?_ I mean, he’s an okay looking guy, but he’s nowhere near as perfect as you.”

Jared preened happily. “It was still mean,” He protested.

Jensen fake-pouted. “I can’t have my boyfriend mad at me, can I?” He grinned evilly and pounced on Jared. Jared squealed and giggled as Jensen peppered his face with kisses. “Still mad?”  
Jared couldn’t imagine ever being upset with Jensen. He was just too perfect. “No, I’m not mad.”

“Good.” Jensen tweaked Jared’s nose and he giggled. “I’m gonna go make breakfast. If you want to get a little more sleep, I can wake you up when the food’s ready.”

Jared wanted to get up with Jensen but the bed was so comfortable and warm. “Few more minutes,” Jared mumbled.

“Sure, Jay.”

 ****

Jensen found some unopened bacon and eggs in his fridge and after a quick inspection, he decided they were both still good. He set to work frying the bacon and the sizzling aroma filled his kitchen. It’d been too long since he’d cooked a proper meal. Usually it was a piece of toast and a cup of coffee.

Jensen smiled blissfully. Yum, coffee. He flipped the bacon and went to his most favorite appliance in the house. When he had the coffee measured out perfectly—he made a little extra in case Jared wanted some too. Jensen checked the bacon and deemed it cooked. He put it on a paper towel-covered plate and cracked two eggs into a bowl to whisk.

Jensen turned around when he heard Jared shuffle into the room. Jared’s mussed up hair curled around his face and he sleepily rubbed his eyes. “Hi Jen.”   
Jensen smiled at his adorable boyfriend. “Hey, Jay.” He kissed Jared’s cheek and Jared pouted until Jensen kissed his lips softly. “You’re kind of adorable right now, you know?”   
Jared frowned. “’M not adorable.”

“You are.” Jensen patted Jared’s firm stomach. “Want some coffee?”  
“I’ve never had coffee,” Jared said. “Momma said it’d keep me up all night.”  
“Well,” Jensen said. “That’s why you drink it in the morning.” He poured a cup for Jared. “Just take a sip. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to drink it.”  

Jared accepted the mug and took a cautious sip. His fast twisted up in distaste and he put the mug down. “That’s gross.”

Jensen cackled. “Gimme a sec.” He poured sugar and milk into the cup until it was a light tan color. “Try it now.”   
Jared eyed the coffee warily but took a second sip. This time he smiled and hummed in satisfaction. “It’s sweet.”

“Like you.” Jensen tweaked Jared’s nose. Jensen preferred his coffee black but Jared was just like Mack; she couldn’t drink coffee unless he had enough sugar and cream to give someone diabetes.

“Don’t you have work today?” Jared asked. The question was sad, but had a tint of hope.

“I took the day off. It’s Friday, we wouldn’t be doing anything interesting anyways.”

“Awesome.” Jared grinned brightly at him.

Jensen finished making scrambled eggs and put a generous helping and some bacon on Jared’s plate. “Eat up, Jay.”   
Jared crammed a whole piece of bacon in his mouth. “I love bacon,” He chirped. With his mouth full it sounded like “I wuv ‘acon”.

“Chew your food,” Jensen chastised affectionately. Jared stuck out his bacon-covered tongue. “Gross, Jay!”

“Whadda wanna do today?” Jared asked.

“Well, we have to pick Sadie up from the shelter, I thought we could do that first,” Jensen offered. “And then we can spend the rest of the day in here with Sadie and Oscar.”

Jared nodded. “Can we go pick up Sadie _now_?”

“Sure, Jay,” Jensen chuckled. “Lemme grab my jacket.”


	13. Healing

Jared insisted they bring Oscar with them to pick up Sadie, because Chad and Sandy might want to see the furball again. Jensen rolled his eyes but hustled Oscar in the car as well. Jared listened to Jensen’s smooth voice roll over him on the way to the car and Oscar’s happy barking in the back. He couldn’t wait to see Sadie again. She was his princess and now she could come home with Jensen and Oscar too.

Jared bolted out of the car when they reached the shelter. He heard Jensen laugh behind him and the beep of the car locking.

Sam and Dr. Beaver were waiting for them in the entry. Oscar woofed and almost bowled Sandy over when he spotted her. She and Chad fawned over Oscar as he pranced happily between them.

“How is she?” Jared asked. “Can I see her?”

Dr. Beaver smiled under his scruffy beard. “ Come on back, son, your girl is ready to go home.”

Jared’s cheeks hurt with his smile and followed Dr. Beaver back. “Now, she can’t walk yet,” The doctor said. “Her legs are severely damaged and her body is weak. But the only cure for her now is rest.” He shook an orange bottle. “These are pain pills. Give her one in the morning and one at night. It’ll help with her aches.”

Sadie lifted her head weakly and gave a small yip. “Hi girl,” Jared cooed. “How are you?” Sadie nuzzled his palm. “I missed you too. But guess what? We can go home now.”

Strong arms looped around his waist. “You think your mom will let you come to my house again?”

Jared pondered it. “It’s my life,” He decided. “I want to be with you. Is that okay?”

Jensen kissed Jared’s neck. “Nothing would make me happier, Jay.” Oscar barked behind them. “And I think Oscar would like that too. He needs a friend.” Jensen paused. “Hey, Jared?”  
“Hm?” Jared looked at his pretty boyfriend.

Jensen just watched him. “Nothing. I really like you.”

Jared beamed. “I love you too.”  

“So, ready to take this girl home?” Jensen rubbed Sadie’s ear. “I’ll help carry her to the car, if you want.”

“No, I can do it.” Jared scooped Sadie up as gently as he could. Dr. Beaver had warned him that if she was moved into the wrong position, she would get hurt more. “I gotcha, Sadie. Jen and me are gonna take care of you.” 

“Jen and _I_ ,” Jensen corrected gently. Jared wanted to thwack the back of his head playfully, but his arms were full with his sweet puppy.

“Jay, do you want to hold her in the car or put her in the back?” Jensen asked. “I brought Oscar’s doggy bed and some blankets so we can make her comfortable.” Oscar wagged his tail, looking perfectly content in giving his blankets and bed to his doggy friend. 

“No, I’ll hold her,” Jared replied. He wanted to keep Sadie in his arms for as long as he could. “I thought she was dead,” He admitted quietly. “She made a noise and then _didn’t move_.”

Jensen twisted the key and the car purred. He had one hand on the wheel but he put the other one on Jared’s knee and squeezed it affectionately. “That must have been scary.”

“It was.” Jared felt childish admitting it, but it was true.

“I would have been terrified.” Jensen looked in the rear mirror where Oscar was reflected. “I can’t imagine losing that little bug.”   
Jared frowned. “He’s not that little, Jen.”

Jensen laughed and patted Jared’s knee. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, babe.”

Jared wanted to crawl into Jensen’s lap and curl up between him and the steering wheel, but he knew it would probably cause them all to crash and die. And that would be awful. He loves Jensen too much.

“Can we watch a movie when we get back to your place?” Jared asked.

“Sure, you can pick one out and I’ll make dinner, how does that sound?” Jensen’s green eyes flickered warmly at him. It reminded him of the fireplace Momma turned on in the winter. It didn’t smell as good as a _real_ wood fire smelled, but the flames were pretty,

“That sounds nice,” Jared agreed. “I didn’t know you could cook.”  
Jensen blushed. “Well, I’m a work in progress.”

Jared giggled. Even if Jensen made the grossest thing ever, Jared would still eat it. That’s what people do when they love each other, like Daddy never complains when Momma makes mushrooms even though he hates them. Jared asked him why he ate mushrooms if he didn’t like them, and Daddy had replied, “’Cause I love your mom, Jared. And that’s what you do when you love each other.”

Jared was confused. “You eat gross food?”  
Daddy laughed. “If that’s what it takes to make the person you love smile.”

Jared remembered the conversation happily and grinned at Jensen. “I bet you’re an amazing cook.”

“You’re too nice to me, Jared,” Jensen said with a smile. “I could be the worst cook in the world.”

Jared remembered his dad eating Momma’s mushrooms even though he thought they were too slimy. “I’d eat it anyways.”

Jensen gave him a funny look. “Why?”

“That’s what you do when you love someone.” Jared grinned proudly. Jensen gave him a look filled with so much warmth that Jared just about melted in his seat.

 *** 

Jensen was a horrible cook, but Jared so sweetly agreed to eat his food that Jensen was dedicated to preparing a good meal for his boyfriend. “What do you like?”  
“Anything,” Jared replied. “I love all food.”   
“Good, because this might be a total disaster,” Jensen said. “And we quite possibly will have to buy takeout instead.”

“Have faith,” Jared chastised gently. “You can do it.”  

“You’re very wise.” Jensen shuffled through his cabinets. “We’re going to make do with what we have, okay?”  
Jared grinned. “I can’t wait. Do you want any help?”

“Nah, go pick a movie with the dogs. I’ll make something easy.” He pinched Jared’s cheek and he slapped Jensen’s hand away. “Aw, honey, don’t be like that.”   
“Just make dinner,” Jared responded. He scooped up Sadie and carried her into the living room, Oscar following behind him. Jensen smiled to himself at the picture. He loved those three.

Jensen dusted off a cookbook Danneel gave him for Christmas one year. The sting he felt when he thought of her was all but gone. Her love was a fond memory, and she was still a close friend. Danneel had marked a few pages with notes indicating the easiest ones to make.

He found a recipe for some pasta with a pesto sauce, and rummaged through his fridge to examine the contents. Shockingly, there was some pesto sauce—Jensen didn’t even know how that got in there, Allie probably snuck it in—and noodles in one of the cabinets. It was a different kind of noodle from what the recipe called for but Jensen supposed it would do.  

When the water was boiling, Jensen dumped the noodles in. “Can you burn noodles?” Jensen murmured. He thought about it. “ _I_ probably could.” He heard Jared cooing to the dogs and the shuffle of DVD cases. “God, I love that man.”

He had to strain the noodles, which was always his least favorite part. The first time he tried it, he splashed water on his chest and burned himself. After that, he always made Danneel strain them.  

“Use your muscles,” Jensen said. “Okay. I can do this.” A bit of water splashed on his hand but it didn’t hurt too badly.

It mixed the pasta with the pesto sauce and listened to the loud beginning of the movie. He couldn’t tell which one it was. The pasta cooled and Jensen called Jared into the kitchen.

“What movie are you watching?” Jensen asked.

Jared grinned. “The Hangover.”   
“Tha Hangover—Jared, why would you want to watch that?” Jensen spluttered.

“Jeff liked it,” Jared replied.

“That movie is not appropriate for… anyone,” Jensen said. “And honestly, I think it’s a horrible movie.”   
“What do _you_ want to watch?” Jared asked.

Jensen smirked. “Have you ever seen _Jaws_ , Jay?”

*

Jared loved Jaws. Jensen spent more time watching Jared than an incredibly fake shark attack blonde teenagers. His expressions were certainly more interesting than _Jaws_. Jared’s eyes flitted to Jensen and he blushed. God, that blush was going to kill him.  Jared twisted on the couch until his head rested on Jensen’s chest. Jensen threaded his fingers through Jared’s hair. “I like this movie,” Jared whispered.

“It’s one of my favorites. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched this.”

Jared nuzzled under Jensen’s chin and Jensen kissed the top of his head. “I love you, Jay.”

“Love you too,” Jared replied immediately. “Now shh. I’m watching the movie.”

Jensen barely held back the loud laughter that threatened to burst out. “Sorry, babe.” He and Jared curled up on the couch while a shark tore up a boat. “You know, there’s a second one.”   
“Shh!” Jared turned towards the TV. “Can we watch it next?” Jared added.

“Anything you want.” Jensen rubbed Jared’s arm with one hand and let the other drop to pet Sadie. He smiled softly and watched the shark take a bite out of a college student.

 ***

Jared made sure Sadie had lots of blankets and with a woof, Oscar promised to take care of her. Jensen was sitting in bed staring at his hands with a grin on his face. “Why’re you smiling?” Jared asked.

Jensen lifted his head. “I’m happy.”

Jared crawled into bed beside him. “Me too.”

Jensen cleared his throat. “Jay, tomorrow we should go see your family.”

Jared curled into Jensen. “Do we have to?”  
“Jay,” Jensen said softly.  “It’s the right thing to do. They love you.”  
“They have a bad way of showing it.”  
Jensen sighed. “Not everyone is as good at loving as you are, Jay.”

“Come with me?” Jared looked at Jensen with what Jensen called his puppy dog eyes.

“Put those eyes away,” Jensen teased. “You don’t need them to convince me to come.”

Jared grinned. “Turn the light off. I want to sleep.”

“Demanding, are we?” Jensen flicked his lamp off and pulled the covers tighter around the pair of them.

Jared cuddled tighter to Jensen, seeking out the warmth of his boyfriend. “I wish I could live with you all the time,” Jared murmured. Jensen tensed, and Jared panicked. “I mean-,”  
“Shh,” Jensen soothed. “We’ll talk about this in the morning, okay? Right now we both need some sleep.”  

Jared didn’t really _want_ to sleep, he wanted to stay up all night and stare at Jensen’s beautiful face and listen to his voice, but Jensen works hard all week and if he wants sleep, Jared will make sure that Jensen gets an amazing night’s sleep.

*

Jared felt something scratchy nuzzle him awake. “Sadie, g’way.”

Jensen’s low chuckle resonated in his chest. “Just me, babe, Sadie’s sleeping with Oscar.”

“You’re scratchy,” Jared muttered.

“Mm, haven’t shaved yet.” He rolled Jared onto his back and lay on top of him to place low, sweet kisses on Jared’s lips. “Do you like it?”  
Jared examined Jensen. “You look old.”

“I hate you,” Jensen grumbled. “I let you sleep in and this is the thanks I get.”

Jared giggled. He knew that Jensen loved sleeping in as much as Jared did. “You’re welcome.”

Jensen stole another kiss and rolled onto his back. “I’d suggest staying in bed for another hour, but-,”  
“-I’m hungry,” Jared finished. “Feed me.”

“Only because I love you. I’m gonna go see if we have any bacon left. Do you want coffee?”  
Jared scrunched up his nose. “Only with lots of sugar.”   
“Sweet tooth.” Jensen winked at him and slid on his softest pair of sweatpants. Jared watched Jensen until he was out of sight, and then lay back on the bed.

“Just a few more minutes,” Jared mumbled. He rolled onto Jensen’s side of the bed and inhaled his scent. It smelled like cinnamon and love. Jared wanted to bury himself in the scent and never let go.

The smell of bacon filtered into the room, mixing with Jensen’s scent. “Jared!” Jensen called. “Breakfast!”

Jared groaned and pulled the covers over his head. “Wanna eat it in bed.”

Footsteps thudded up the staircase and into the bedroom. “C’mon downstairs, or I’ll eat all the bacon.”

Jared ignored him. Hands yanked the warm covers off and Jared yelped. “Jensen!”  
“My momma used to do that on me when I wouldn’t get up for school.” Jensen patted his shoulder. “I’m not bringing you breakfast in bed.”  
“You’re mean.”   
“I know, I’m a horrible boyfriend.” Jensen kissed his neck and returned to the kitchen.

Jensen brought up Jared’s family again during breakfast and Jared didn’t know what to think. He loved his family but part of him still ached from their mean comments. Jared’s heart was bruised like his family had punched it.

“They hurt me,” Jared said.

Jensen cupped Jared’s face and rubbed his thumb across his cheek. “I’ll be right there. And if it gets out of hand, I’ll be there to run interference.”  
Jared watched Jensen and Jensen stared back at him. “Okay. Fine. Okay.”

Jensen tilted his head. “Jay, I’m not going to make you do this.”  
Jared nibbled on the strip of bacon. But if Jensen was going to treat him like an adult, Jared had to _act_ like an adult. “Okay. We’re going together.”  
“Of course, Jay.”

*

Jared didn’t know why he felt so nervous. He spent his whole life with his parents and now after one day away from them he felt like a stranger. “Jen-,”  
“I’m here, Jay. Until my last day.”

Jared knocked on the door and waited for a hand to open it. Footsteps echoed and with a creak, the old door swung open.

“Oh,” Jared muttered. “Hi, Caroline.”


	14. 1 Billion Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops this chapter is long. There is sort of sex but nothing graphic, i wasn't sure how i could write that from Jared's POV. Hope you guys like it anyways!

Caroline nodded. “Jared. Jensen. Come in.”

“Not that it’s your call. It’s _Jared’s_ house,” Jensen replied harshly. He didn’t mean to be so rude. Well, maybe he did. Something about this woman just set him off.

Caroline stepped aside and Jensen pushed past her with his hand held tight around Jared’s. “Keep your eyes on me,” Jensen murmured to Jared. “Only on me. Don’t look at her.”

Jared nodded and kept his eyes on Jensen. Jensen adored his big, hazel eyes filled with enough emotion to make Jensen’s heart race. “Just on you,” Jared repeated.

“Caroline? Who—oh, Jared, hi!” Sharon appeared around the corner with a bright smile at her son. Jensen was still wary of Jared’s mother, but she’d become more open to the idea that Jared was an individual. But if Caroline was here, Jeff was here, and Jensen was not in the mood to fight and bicker over what was best for Jared.

“Hi, Momma.” Jared smiled brightly at her. “Where’s Meg?”  
“Taking a nap.” Momma shook her head. “I warned her not to take naps. She’ll never get to sleep tonight.”  
“Sometimes naps are nice,” Jensen replied. Sharon nodded her head in acknowledgement.

“Come into the kitchen. I was just making some tea. And your father would like to see you again, Jared.” Sharon glanced at Jensen. “And you too, Jensen.”

Jensen highly doubted anyone in the family—other than Megan—was particularly happy to see him. He’d stolen Jared away from them. Or really, he’s freed Jared from them.

“Okay, Momma.” Jared slot his hand in Jensen’s and guided him into the kitchen. Gerry was sitting at the table with the newspaper flourished in front of him, Jeff beside him working on a crossword puzzle. When the four of them entered, Caroline took a seat beside Jeff and whispered something in his ear. Jensen knew it was something about him and Jared and it took all his self-control not to yell at her.

“Sit,” Sharon suggested. “I’ll find some crackers or something.”

Gerald smiled weakly. “Jared, Jensen. Nice to see you.”  
Jared beamed at his dad. “Hi, Daddy.”  
“How’s Sadie?” Gerry asked.

“Good,” Jared replied. He looked at Jensen. “Oscar’s keeping her safe.”  
Jensen kissed Jared’s nose. “Nice and safe in their doggy bed.”

“Is that what you’re doing with Jared?” Jeff muttered. It was quiet, but he obviously intended Jensen to hear it. _Be patient, you’re here for Jared. Yelling at his family members will_ not _go over well_.

“I don’t need your hypothesis about what I am or am not doing with Jared,” Jensen hissed back.

“And I don’t need your-,”  
“Jeff,” Gerald interrupted. “Not now.”

Jeff glared at Jensen and he turned to Jared. His nice hazel eyes comforted Jensen and he no longer felt like lunging across the table. “I do love you, Jared Padalecki,” Jensen whispered.

Jared rubbed his nose against Jensen’s. “I love you, Jensen Ackles.” Jared not-so-subtly scooted his chair closer to Jensen’s.

“Here, some tea.” Momma placed mugs in front of everyone and sat awkwardly beside her husband.

Jensen sighed. “I’m not going to dance around this anymore. Jared is my boyfriend, he’s staying in my house with his dog. If Jared wants to leave, you have to ask _him_. And you will not force him to make any decision.”

“That’s not up to you,” Jeff intervened.

Jensen smirked. “It’s up to Jared.”

Jared’s eyes widened. “You can’t take Jensen away. I mean, take _me_ away.” Jared looked frustrated. “I’m staying with Jensen!”

“No one is taking you away,” Jensen hushed. “No worries, baby.” Caroline leaned forward and Jensen immediately stiffed. “If you’re going to say anything that’s gonna make me angry or make Jared sad, I suggest second thinking whatever you’re about to say.”

“I was simply going to _say_ that this should be a family decision,” Caroline cut in.

Jared frowned. “You’re not my family.”

Jeff glared at him. “She is my fiancée, she is part of the family.”

Jared put his head on Jensen’s shoulder and Jensen snaked an arm around his waist. “Family is people you love, and the people who love you,” Jared replied. “Jensen is my family. You just make me sad.”

Sharon cleared her throat. “I’m confused. Caroline has been nothing but kind and honest.”  
“She’s been honest alright,” Jensen muttered. “Never stops to think about how her words could hurt someone.” Jared nodded into Jensen’s throat.

Gerald folded his newspaper. “Well, I think maybe we should have a conversation.”

 *** 

Jared was scared of this. He was scared his family would pick Caroline instead of him and believe that she never hurt him. He pushed himself closer to Jensen. He _never_ told Jared to do anything that would make him uncomfortable. Jensen made him happier than anyone had ever made him before.

Daddy looked at him thoughtfully. “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on?”

Jared chewed his lip and glanced nervously at Jensen. Strong, confident, beautiful, _loving_ Jensen. “Caroline says things that hurt my feelings,” Jared explained softly. “She makes me feel stupid.”

“Like what?” Daddy and Momma asked together.

“She whispers to Jeff behind my back, she always acts like I can’t make my own decisions.” Once Jared started, he couldn’t stop. “She treats me like I’m a little kid and don’t know how to do anything. It’s _my_ life, I make _my_ decisions. And she keeps reminding me that I’m different!” Jared hated acknowledging that he was different. He knew that he wasn’t like the rest of his family but it didn’t mean that he didn’t deserve love as much as anyone else did.

His family was quiet. Caroline looked frustrated and everyone else looked confused. Jared looked at Jensen and saw his boyfriend wearing a smug smile. It brought a smile to Jared’s face. He felt stronger, braver, just from looking at Jensen’s face.

After the awkward pause, all three of his family members started asking questions at once. Jeff’s questions were angry and made him push closer to Jensen, but Momma’s face was concerned and Jensen’s arm squeezed Jared’s waist comfortingly. Caroline’s face made him uneasy and he tried to get as small was possible still curled around Jensen.

“Slow down,” Jensen rumbled. “If all three of you are talking at once, no one will get any answers.”

“Like you have any right to demand anything,” Jeff sneered.

“Of course I have rights to ask for things,” Jensen snapped back. “Especially if they’re in Jared’s best interests.”  
“How do you know what’s in his best interests? I’m his brother!”  
“And I’m his boyfriend! I’ve always put him first! Always!”

“You don’t know him!”

“I love him!” Jensen shouted. “Of course I know him!” Jared’s heart swelled when Jensen confessed his love. It never seemed real, but Jensen always proved him wrong.

“Can we all just stop yelling?” Momma said. “This isn’t helping.”

Jared kissed Jensen’s neck. “Too much yelling,”

“Okay, Jay,” Jensen agreed. “We’ll be civil.” Jared smiled happily into his neck. Jensen turned to the Padalecki’s. “I want you to ask Jared what he wants. I’ll be quiet. I’ll stay out of it. But if you-,” He eyed Jared’s family, “-or god forbid, _that_ woman-,” he jabbed a thumb at Caroline, “-then I’m leaving and taking my _boyfriend_ with me.”

Jared snuck a look at his family. Caroline still looked put out but Jeff’s anger had dimmed.

“What are they going to do?” Jared asked quietly.  
Jensen stroked his hair soothingly. “That’s up to you now, baby.”

Jared straightened up in his chair. “What happens now?”

“Jared,” Jeff started slowly. “Does Caroline make you feel small?”  
Jared frowned. Small is a stupid way of putting it. Jared was anything _but_ small. “No. She just makes me sad.” He huffed. Why couldn’t anyone understand?

Jeff took Caroline’s hand. “We’re going to leave now,” He announced. He said something to Caroline in a lower voice and she followed him without protest.

The room was quiet when they left. Jared squeezed Jensen’s hand and took comfort in the strong smile Jensen flashed him.

“Well, I think we all need to think,” Gerald declared. “It’s been a long few days. Jared,” He looked firmly at him. “Would you like to stay with us or Jensen?”  
“Jensen,” Jared blurted immediately. He looked at Jensen. “Is that okay?”  
“Jay, it’d be okay with me if you came to _live_ with me,” Jensen replied. He caught his lip between his teeth. “You know, if you ever thought about it…”

Jared’s curiosity was piqued. “Thought about what?”  
Jensen glanced at Jared’s parents. “When we get home, Jay, we can talk. For now…” He kissed Jared’s forehead. “Let’s just have a nice afternoon with your parents.” Jensen picked up his mug and clinked it against Jared’s. He giggled and took a tip of the lukewarm tea.

“Maybe we could give the dogs a bath when we get come?” Jared asked. He knew how much Jensen hated giving the dogs a bath, he’d much rather pay for someone else to do it.

Jensen groaned.  “Jared, I swear, Mack told me about this really great place, the dogs will be really well taken care of-,”

“It’s more fun if we do it ourselves,” Jared protested.

“Yeah, tell that to me again when I’m covered in dog soap and water,” Jensen replied. Jared giggled and the image of Jensen covered in bubbles.

“But Sadie’s _injured_.” Jared gave him his best puppy dog eyes and Jensen gently pushed his shoulder.

“You are a cheater,” Jensen teased. “And I’m doing this for Sadie.”

Jared thought about it for a second. “You’re doing it for me,” He declared happily.

“Only because you’re so damn cute.” Jensen tweaked his nose and Jared glared at him. He wasn’t really mad at Jensen. In fact, he secretly liked when Jensen squeezed or kissed his nose. “And I’m a tiny bit in love with you.”

“I’m a lot in love with you,” Jared replied.

“Yeah, maybe me too,” Jensen sighed exaggeratedly. Momma made a cooing noise and Jensen turned bright red.

“Maybe we should get back and check on the dogs,” Jared suggested. He didn’t like leaving Sadie alone for long. She was _always_ with him. And especially now that she was injured he didn’t want to leave her alone. Plus Jensen looked slightly uncomfortable and Jared wanted Jensen to be happy.

“Well we should do this again,” Daddy offered. “Perhaps under a less stressful situation.”  
“If that’s the word you’d like to describe it,” Jensen muttered. “It was nice of you to have us in your home, Mr. and Mrs. Padalecki. The tea was wonderful.” Jensen smiled but Jared could tell it wasn’t one of his bright, honest smiles. “Ready, babe?”  
“Always.” Jared took his hand and led Jensen from his house. He beamed back at his parents and wondered, for once in his life, if his family would stop treating him like a little kid. 

 ***

The idea had been planted into his brain as soon as Jared said he wanted to go home with Jensen. Jensen wanted Jared in his house, but he didn’t want him in his house for a few nights. He didn’t want to drive to Jared’s house after work or stop by the shelter. He wanted to come home right after work and not to wake up without wondering when the next time he’d see Jared.

He wanted Jared all the time. Every day, every night, every minute that Jensen had he wanted to spend with Jared. Realistically it wouldn’t happen, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be selfish.  
“Jay, I want to talk to you about something,” Jensen began. Jared was rinsing out the bubbles from Sadie’s fur while Jensen dried off Oscar.

Jared’s eyes flicked from Sadie to Jensen. “What’s up?”  
“So, I know we’ve only been together for a little over a month, and you can say no, but I’d really like it if you, um,” Jensen cleared his throat, “if you came to live with me. For good. This would be your home.”  
“You want me to live with you?” Jared repeated. “With Oscar?”

“Yes.”  
“Can I bring Sadie?” Jared asked.

“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.” Jensen patted Oscar’s head. “And I think it might just break Oscar’s heart.”

“Then yes, definitely,” Jared said eagerly. “Yes, I will move in with you.”

Jensen brightened and threw his arms around Jared. “Oh, you just made me the happiest person alive!” He felt Jared’s arms fold around him and Jensen sighed happily. “This is going to be awesome, Jared.”  
“I know.” Jared beamed at him. “It’s _you_. How could it not be awesome?”

Jensen draped the towel over the rack to dry and grabbed a fresh one for Sadie. “Let’s get Sadie dried off and we can relax for the rest of the night,” He suggested.

“Can we get pizza?” Jared asked eagerly. “I love pepperoni.”  
“Okay, Jay, we can get pizza.” Jensen didn’t think he’d ever deny Jared anything. He didn’t think he even _could_ deny Jared anything. “Extra olives?”  
Jared frowned. “No, _no_ olives!”

Jensen cackled. “Okay, extra olives. Got it.”  
“That’s not what I-,” Jared glared. “You’re teasing me again, aren’t you?”  
Jensen leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. “Can’t help it.” He threw the towel at Jared and jogged down to order the food.  
“You’re a mean boyfriend!” Jared called after him. Jensen smiled happily to himself.

“But I’m _your_ mean boyfriend!” Jensen blew Jared a kiss even though it couldn’t see him.

Jensen was on the phone with the pizzeria when his doorbell rang. He thanked himself for buying cordless phones and went over to see who wanted to come inside at dinnertime. Instead of a stranger, Megan was standing on his doorstep. “Hi.”  
“Hey, Megs,” Jensen greeted. “C’mon in, I just ordered a pizza.”

“What kind of pizza?” Megan followed Jensen into the house.  
“Extra pepperoni, no olives.” Jensen smiled fondly. “Jared hates those damn olives.”

“He always loved meat,” Megan commented. “Whenever we had steaks on the barbeque, Jared’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.”

“Might have to stow that away for future reference,” Jensen said. “When it gets warmer, I’ll take him to my parents house and we’ll all have a barbeque.” He grinned. “You can come too, Megan. Oh, god, my momma. She is just gonna love Jared. He’ll be smothered.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Megan agreed. “Your family sounds great.”

“They’re a handful. But I love them.”  
Megan eyed Jensen’s shirt. “Why are you wet?”  
“Blame Jared. We gave the dogs a bath. I wanted to go to a professional where my bathroom wouldn’t get ruined but Jared wouldn’t have it.” Jensen adored his boyfriend’s quirks.

“Yeah, that’s Jared.”  
Right on cue, Jared came thudding downstairs with two relatively dry dogs following him. “Megan!”

“Hey, Jare.” Megan hugged her big brother. “How are you?”  
“Good,” Jared said. Jensen could tell he meant it. “I’m really good.”  
“Momma and Dad were being all mysterious, so I came over here. They said you were staying the night.” Megan looked into Jared’s eyes. “Are you?”  
“I’m staying forever,” Jared told her happily. “Jensen asked me to move in.”  
“Is that right?” Megan raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m happy for you.” Her expression told Jensen that they would definitely have a talk later.

Jared pulled on Megan’s hand and gave her a tour of the house. Realistically, Jensen knew Megan wouldn’t force Jared to leave Jensen’s house. She was the first person to truly let Jared make his own decisions. But Jensen also knew she was protective of Jared and she’d be wary of Jensen moving too fast.

Jared’s bright chatter echoed in the house. It felt nice to have someone else around. No more nights alone, no more frozen dinners and lonely nights in front of the TV. Now he would come home to Jared and go to sleep with Jared and wake up with Jared plastered to his body, warm as a furnace. Utter contentment settled over Jensen and he didn’t jerk out of his reverie until the doorbell rang.

*

Megan sat on the floor with the dogs and cooed at them; Sadie and Oscar practically drooled over her affection. Jared had his head in Jensen’s lap and licked his pizza-grease stained lips. Megan had picked a chick flick that was playing on TV but no one was watching it.

“Are you happy?” Jared murmured from his comfortably position.

Jensen combed his fingers through Jared’s hair. “You have no idea.”

*

Jared started to yawn around 10:00 and Jensen managed to wrangle him under the covers. “I’ll be in in a moment, okay? I just want to say goodbye to your sister.” He kissed Jared’s forehead and received a sleepy noise of agreement.

Megan was waiting for him on the back porch. “Hi, Jensen.”

“I’m happy you came,” Jensen replied honestly. “I know Jared’s family means well but you’re the only person that really seems to _get_ Jared.”

“He’s special. I know he thinks that means he’s dumb but…” Megan hesitated.

“He’s just special,” Jensen finished. “Exceptionally kind and loving. He’s worth holding on to, worth loving.” He paused. “I love him.”

“I know you do, I’ve never had any doubts about that,” Megan assured. “I’ve never seen him happier than he is with you. Everyone else always wanted to suppress his light but you—you let him glow.” She sniggered. “Sounds cheesy, but true.”

“He makes me glow,” Jensen murmured. “My wife divorced me. We’d been together since high school. Friends for even longer. I thought we were forever.”  
“Funny how things change.” Megan looked up at the sky. It was dark out but stars illuminated the night. “My brother used to climb up onto the roof when the stars were out. He just sat up there and stared at the stars like they were the most beautiful things in the world. He took me up there with him sometimes and I remember asking what he was waiting for.” Megan sighed.

“He said he was waiting for a shooting star,” She continued. “Because if a shooting star came by, he could make a wish and it would come true. He went up there for years. Even when he didn’t see a shooting star he always smiled. Those stars were comforting for him.”  
Jensen pictured Jared sitting on his roof staring at the stars with his big hazel eyes. The way Jared’s whole body lit up when he was happy, the relaxed smile on his face when he was peaceful. “It sounds beautiful.”

“It was,” Megan agreed. “We saw a shooting star, eventually. I don’t know how many nights we’d spend out there waiting for the shooting star. God, you should have seen Jared. He was like a star himself. And he told me to close my eyes and make a wish. I wished for a new Barbie.”  
Megan’s demeanor turned sad. “Jared wished to be normal. He said he was tired of being dumber than everyone else and having no friends. He said that more than anything in the entire world, he wanted to be just like everyone else.”

Jensen’s heart clenched. He didn’t want Jared to be “normal”. He wanted Jared to be exactly as he was. Normal was horribly boring. “Jared is perfect.”

“He is,” Megan replied.  “But he didn’t think that. When he woke up the next morning, and he wasn’t any different…” Megan shook her head like the memory pained her. “He didn’t watch the stars much after that.”

“That’s horrible,” Jensen whispered. “God, I can’t even—poor Jared.”

“But not anymore,” Megan persisted. “Don’t you understand? _You’re_ Jared’s shooting star! You’re making the wish come true! Jared is finally treated as an equal. You taught him that he doesn’t have to be like everyone else to be one of the best people in the world. You’re the shooting star, but this time Jared’s wish came true.” Megan looked up at him with a mix of gratitude and sadness. “No one else has ever made him this free. I couldn’t even do it. But you have made everything _so much better_. So thank you.”

Jensen chuckled. “I feel like I should be thanking you. You gave me a chance with your brother. He’s _my_ shooting star, too. He made me feel love like I never thought I could.”

Megan smiled softly at him. “I hope he looks at the stars again, Jensen.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

 ***

Jared was on the brink of sleep, but he wanted to wait for Jensen to come back before he finally drifted off. Megan and Jensen were talking for a long time so Jared got up and wandered out of the bedroom to find his boyfriend. On the way down the stairs, he bumped into Jensen.

“Woah, hey, what are you doing up?” Jensen asked. “I thought you were in bed.”  
“Wanted to wait for you,” Jared explained. Jensen kissed him sweetly and guided him back up to the bedroom.

“Let me put my pajamas on and I’ll come to bed, okay? Lay down and get comfortable,” Jensen said. Jared nodded and went to curl up under the covers.

Jensen slid into bed and Jared curled his body around him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Jensen sighed happily. “Thank you.”  
Jared furrowed his eyebrows. “For what?”  
“I dunno,” Jensen sleepily hugged Jared closer. “Just for being you, I guess.”

*  
 Jared blinked open lazily and found that he was still snuggled into Jensen. His boyfriend had an arm around him and Jensen’s hair was messy from sleeping. Jared had abandoned his pillow for curling up on Jensen’s chest. He kissed Jensen’s nipple and Jensen sighed in his sleep. Jared smiled at the reaction and kissed the other nipple. Jensen shifted and a little breathy moan came out of his mouth.

The noises he made delighted Jared. He ran his fingers across Jensen’s nipples and again Jensen squirmed under him. Jensen blinked open sleepily. “J’re?”  
“Hi, Jen.” Jared beamed at Jensen who still looked half-asleep.

Jensen groaned. “You’re too awake for… what time is it?”  
“7:00.”  
“Jay, why would you even _want_ to be up this early?” Jensen pulled the covers over his head, but Jared easily pulled them back.

“I’m hungry,” Jared whined. “I need food.”

“Make it yourself,” Jensen said. Jared saw the smile he was hiding in his pillow so Jared draped his body on top of Jensen’s. “Make me breakfast.” He wiped his thumb across one of Jensen’s nipples and he made that little gasping noise again.

“Jared!” Jensen exclaimed.

“What?” Jared cocked his head.  

“You can’t—Jay, oh,” Jensen dropped his head onto the pillow. “Jay.”

Jared kept rubbing his thumb across Jensen’s nipple until Jensen grabbed his hand. “What, Jen?”  
“Jay, if you keep touching me like that, I might do something that I’ll regret,” Jensen explained. Jared still felt confused, until his eyes glanced down and noticed an odd bump in the sheets. It took a few seconds but Jared finally processed it, and his eyes widened.

“Oh,” Jared realized. A long time ago, Jared had heard Jeff on the phone talking to his friend about how a girl made his cock hard. Jared blushed and ducked out of the room in confusion and embarrassment, but now he felt strangely confident. “ _Oh.”_  He cautiously reached out and brushed his hand across the lump. Jensen choked and his hips jerked.

“Jay, seriously, you’re driving me insane,” Jensen groaned.

“Why is that bad?” Jared asked. “Why can’t I do this for my boyfriend? You never treated me different about anything else, why do you act different when I want to have sex?” He pulled the covers down until Jensen’s whole body was revealed. Jensen had boxers on and Jared cautiously put his hands in the waistband. “Jen, please. I can be good.”

Jensen pulled Jared down for a kiss. “I know you will, Jay. I just don’t want to make you do something you’re not ready for.”

“I know what I want,” Jared said fiercely. “I know what I’m ready for. I love you. Besides, anything I don’t know, you can teach me.”

Jared could tell Jensen was torn, so Jared slid his hand under Jensen’s boxers and touched Jensen’s penis. The flesh was silky and warm. The feeling was foreign to Jared, but not unwelcome. It was even better because it made Jensen throw his head back and moan, his hips twitching uncontrollably. “Does that feel good?” Jared asked eagerly.

“Oh, _yes_ ,” Jensen sighed. “Fuck, Jared, that feels really good.”

Jared felt the strange sensation of his own body reacting to Jensen’s writhing and felt a strange sensation in his cock. “Jen…”  
“Roll onto your back, baby,” Jensen urged. Jared readily obeyed; his body felt like it was humming. “Tell me if I do something that you don’t like, okay?”

“I will,” Jared promised. He really wanted to be with Jensen, completely. “I don’t know— I’ve never done this before.”

“I’ll teach you,” Jensen assured. “Now close your eyes, Jay. Let me show you.”

Jared sighed happily and closed his eyes. Neither of them slept with their shirts on, so Jensen only had to peel off Jared’s thin sweatpants and underwear until they were skin-to-skin. Jensen adored loving kisses across Jared’s chest and lower and lower, until his tongue traced Jared’s hipbone. It felt really, really nice. Jared hadn’t even noticed Jensen’s mouth was moving until his warm breath was between his thighs. “Oh, Jen-,”  
“Shh,” Jensen hushed. “I’m gonna make you feel good.”

Jensen’s mouth lowered until it was just covered the tip of Jared’s dick. Jared gasped and his hips jerked up. It felt really good. “Jensen…”

“Trust me,” Jensen whispered.

And Jared did.

 ***

Jensen managed to roll out of bed hours after Jared initially woke up. After Jensen blew Jared, Jared insisted on helping out Jensen despite his protests. Jared was wonderfully naïve and his grip was too loose on Jensen’s dick. But his effort was endearing, and Jared’s large hand running up and down quickly brought Jensen off. Jared wanted more, and he voiced his complaints, but Jensen decided they would do that another time. He wanted it to be special. He wanted to worship Jared for hours before he fucked him, not sloppily as soon as they awoke.

Jared had fallen asleep after his orgasm, and Jensen tucked the covers around him with a smile. There weren’t a lot of supplies for an elaborate breakfast, but Jensen cracked some eggs into the pan and put a few pieces of bread in the toaster.

Jensen turned the radio on quietly and hummed along to the country song playing. The toast popped up at the same time Jared lazily thudded down the stairs.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Jensen greeted. “Again.”

“It was a good morning,” Jared said. “Oh, yum, food.”

“To feed your bottomless stomach,” Jensen teased. “Toast and eggs.”

“You’re the best boyfriend ever,” Jared cheered. He turned red. “This morning was kinda nice, too.”  
“Only _kind of_ nice? I must be doing something wrong.” Jensen winked and grabbed two clean plates from the cabinet.

Jared grumbled and sat at one of the barstools by the kitchen counter. “Can I have breakfast now?”

Jensen shoveled food on to Jared’s plate and handed it to the man. “Eat up, Jay.”

Jared devoured his breakfast and Jensen watched him fondly. Jared noticed him staring and asked, “What?”  
“Nothing.” Jensen smiled to himself. “I just like looking at you.”  
“You’re weird,” Jared mumbled.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Jensen replied. “I don’t want to see your chewed up food.”

Jared swallowed loudly and opened his empty mouth proudly. Jensen rolled his eyes and took a bite of toast. “Any plans for today?”  
“No.” Jared stole a piece of toast from the plate on the counter in what was probably supposed to be a stealthy maneuver. “Just being with you. It’s Sunday.”  
“It is,” Jensen agreed. “How’s Sadie?”  
“Recovering. She can’t walk, still, but Oscar is sitting next to her.”

“Our dogs are gong to get fat,” Jensen commented. “If they just sit there for the next few months.”

“Sadie _can’t_ move,” Jared protested. “And Oscar is being a good guard dog.”

“True.” Jensen took Jared’s hand and guided him out onto the back porch. It was warm outside, even in the morning, It was peaceful outside and they sat on the swinging bench. “I love sitting out here in the mornings when I have nothing to do.”  
“It’s nice,” Jared agreed. His long legs pushed them back and forth on the swing. “I wish I could spend every morning out here.”  
“You can,” Jensen said. “You’re going to live with me. This is your porch swing as much as mine.”

Jared beamed. “I’d like that. _And_ I can sleep in.”

“Anything you want.” Jensen kissed Jared quickly.

The silence was comfortable. “Jen?” Jared started.

“Yeah?”

“Do you—are you sure you want to be with me?” He asked quietly. “I know I’m not normal. Don’t try and protest, I _know_ I’m not as smart as other people. I’m… different. Special. And you’re so wonderful, and there are so many more things-,”  
“There is _nothing_ ,” Jensen said fiercely. “There is nothing in the world that I would choose over you. I am 110% sure that I want to be with you. There is not a doubt in my mind and that will never change. Never.” Jared looked unconvinced so Jensen pulled him into a tight hug. “I love you, Jared. It’s not going to change.”

“But-,”  
“No.” Jensen rubbed his boyfriend’s back. “No one even compares. And you are not stupid, you are not incompetent or anything else anyone says you are. You have a big heart and a bubbly personality. Please, Jay, _believe me_.”

Jared nuzzled Jensen’s neck. “I believe you.”  
“Good.” Jensen kissed his head and then his lips. “You’re my shooting star, Jay, there’s nothing and no one that I’d rather have.”

Jared smiled into his chest. “You’re my shooting star, too, Jensen.”


	15. Watch The Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah its done... weird... :) thanks to everyone that read i love you all!!

“Jared!” Jensen hollered. “Bone tore up another pillow!”

Jared poked his head around the corner. “You’re the one that wanted to adopt him! Hide the pillows away if you don’t want them ruined!”

“Well, we’ll see how supportive I am the next time Harley chews up one of your shoes!” Jensen replied. “I knew four dogs was a bad idea.”

Jared pouted. “But they’re so cute.”  
“Jared, each of the four of our dogs are almost as big as you,” Jensen pointed out. “If they were tiny, docile dogs it would be fine. But they’re basically all replicas of Harley.”

“Sadie’s dignified,” Jared retorted.

“One giant dog out of four is civilized, that’s a relief,” Jensen drawled. Jared giggled and walked over to kiss Jensen.  

“You love this dogs,” Jared teased. “I know it.”

“My momma made those pillows!”

Jared rolled his eyes. “You _hate_ those pillows. You said they were a frilly disaster. Bone did you a favor.”

Jensen ruffled Jared’s hair to see him duck away and try and fix it. “Should have left that menace at the shelter.”  
Jared pouted. “No, then he never would have gotten adopted.”

“I’m just joking. I love this ball of fur, don’t I?” Bone waddled over and Jensen scratched his ears, Bone’s tail wagging.

When Jensen told Jared he wanted to adopt Bone, Jared looked at him like he was crazy. “You do know Bone is the crankiest dog ever, right?”

But Bone loved Jensen almost as much as Oscar did, and got along surprisingly well with the other dogs. When Harley limped into the shelter two months ago with sad puppy dog eyes that cried abuse, Jared adopted him the next day. “Who needs kids when you have dogs?” Jensen muttered when Jared came home with a half-mastiff.

But now Jensen loved his “family”, all four dogs included.

“Do you have the pie?” Jared asked.

“Of course I do, we spent hours on that pie, I wouldn’t ruin it,” Jensen replied. He and Jared spent most of the previous day perfecting the apple pie to blow away Jensen’s family tonight. Jensen insisted that his family would be okay with anything but Jared had desperately wanted to make the best pie. It didn’t matter what the pie tasted like; Jensen’s family had already fallen in love with Jared.

“You carry the pie, I’ll take the dogs,” Jared offered. “I’m not sure if your muscles can take all four of these ‘giants’.”

“I don’t love you,” Jensen grumbled. He carefully picked up the pie and followed Jared out of the house. “Ah! Harley! Don’t bump into me!”

Jared giggled and opened the door for the dogs to jump in. Jensen slid into the driver’s seat and handed Jared the pie temporarily. “Do you think your momma made mac and cheese?” Jared asked.

Jensen’s momma had the recipe for the best homemade macaroni and cheese that Jensen had ever tasted. The first time Jared tasted it he declared it to be the best thing he’d ever had in his life. “Of course she did. She knows how much you love that stuff.”

Jared hummed happily. “I hope your dad makes steak.”   
“Well, he better, because barbecues are for steaks and burgers. And Mack’s weird chicken skewers, since she refuses to eat beef.” Jensen snorted. “But man, I love me a good steak.”

“Steak is the best,” Jared agreed. A chorus of barking echoed Jared’s sentiment.

Jensen pulled into the driveway, which was already crowded with Josh and Allie’s car. Jared got out first and handed Jensen the pie before opening the backdoors and letting the dogs out. The animals bolted towards the backyard, following the scent of meat.

“Well, there’s definitely steak,” Jensen decided. The scent of his dad’s homemade steak seasoning filtered into Jensen’s nostrils. “Yum.”

“C’mon!” Jared grabbed Jensen’s arm and pulled him along. Jensen balanced the pie and hurried after Jared. “Food!”

Mack was on them as soon as they reached the backyard. “Jared!’ She hugged him tightly and then went to coo over the dogs.

“Hi, Mack,” Jensen said loudly.

Mack winked at him. “Nice to see you, big bro.” She turned back to Jared. “Megan’s with Allie in the back. Oh, you made a pie!” She snatched the pie from Jensen’s hands. “This isn’t going to kill us, will it?”  
“No,” Jensen exclaimed. “We worked hard on that pie. It will be absolutely delicious.”  
“Well, I’ll never say no to a good apple pie. We might even have some ice cream in the freezer.” Megan put the pie on the picnic bench in Jensen’s huge backyard. “Momma! Jensen and Jared are here!”

Donna poked her head around the corner and beamed at the two boys. “How are you two today?”  
“Good, Momma.” Jensen hugged her.

“And you, Jared, you look bigger every time I see you.” Donna pulled Jared into a hug.

“Hi, Momma Ackles. Did you make mac and cheese?” Jared asked hopefully.

“Of course I did,” Donna replied. “A double recipe.” Jared’s face lit up.

“You’re the best!” Jared bounced off to say hi to Allie, the dogs following close behind him. Allie’s stomach was round with pregnancy and Josh kept sending worried glances at her from his position on the barbecue.

“Katie’s excited to be a big sister,” Donna commented. “She’s set aside a collection of toys to give to the baby once he or she is born.”

“So if it’s a boy, he’ll be getting lots of pink stuffed animals?”  
“It’s sweet, Jensen, don’t be sarcastic.” Donna swatted his arm.

“Ow, Momma!” Jensen rubbed his arm. “I’m just stating a fact.”  
“I wish your boyfriend’s sweetness was rubbing off on you,” Donna scolded.

Jensen automatically smiled goofily at the mention of Jared. “I’m so crazy about him it’s ridiculous.”  
“It’s cute,” Donna crooned. “My baby, all grown up and falling in love.”

“I was in love with Danneel,” Jensen pointed out.

Donna _tsked_. “Not like Jared. You look at that boy like he’s the sun and the moon.”

“He’s better,” Jensen said.

“If only your brother could hear you talking like this,” Donna sighed wistfully.

“Momma—no, you can’t tell him!”

 **** 

Jared loved Jensen’s family. He loved Momma Ackles and her cooking and Mackie and her laugh and Josh with his jokes and Papa Ackles with his sparkling eyes. And he loved Jensen so much his heart burst with it. He loved Megan and he loved that Megan and Mackie became friends right away. He loved his four dogs and the fact that Jensen pretended to get mad when the dogs did something bad.

Jared just loved everything.

Even his family was treating him differently. His parents helped him find classes online that teach him math and animal health. Jeff had postponed the wedding with Caroline so she and her mean spirit weren’t around to bother him anymore. Jensen ranted about how he wished that Jeff had broke up with Caroline completely and Jared hugged him until he wasn’t upset anymore. Jared’s life was still 10x better than it had been even just a year ago.

The scent of the steak made Jared’s mouth water. The combination of Momma Ackles’ mac and cheese and a big steak and apple pie was the perfect meal. It was even _better_ because he was surrounded with his favorite people in the world.

Sometimes he would see Jensen watching him fondly with wet eyes. Jared asked him why he was so sad, and Jensen had replied, “I’m not sad at all, Jay. I’m really, really happy.” And Jared’s heart filled with love and he felt like crying too.

Allie was laughing at something Megan said. Her belly fascinated Jared and after Jensen explained there was a baby growing inside, Jared always put his hands on her stomach and tried to feel the baby.

“How’s taking care of four dogs, Jared?” Allie asked. “I can hardly managed Josh and Katie.”   
“I don’t have kids, I have dogs,” Jared replied. Jensen said that to anyone who asked about his family.

“The dogs are certainly more well-behaved than Josh,” Mack snorted. Allie snorted and kneeled down to pet Sadie. She sniffed at the bump in Allie’s belly and yipped.

“No barking at the baby, Sadie,” Jared scolded.

“It’s okay,” Allie consoled. “She’s just saying hi. Aren’t you girl?” Allie cooed. “You’re so smart, such a big girl!”

Sadie still had a few scars and missing clumps of fur from the accident, but she was running and barking just like a puppy. It made Jared’s heart do cartwheels.

“Dinner!” Jensen’s Momma yelled. “Jensen Ross, you do _not_ serve yourself with your hands.”

Jared giggled. Jensen was pouting at being scolded like a little kid, so Jared kissed his cheek to make Jensen smile. “No hands.” Jensen jabbed Jared in the sensitive spot on his side and Jared jumped with a squeak.

“You make cute noises,” Jensen teased. “Go on, get your steak.”

Jared bounced eagerly and found the biggest steak possible and a huge serving of mac and cheese. The noodles were big and gooey with cheese, just like Jared loved. “Thank you, Momma Ackles!”

“Of course,” She cooed. “Eat up now. Josh—what are you—for God’s sake, that is _not_ how you eat mashed potatoes!”

*

They ate and laughed until it was dark and the stars twinkled in the sky. It was a big group of Ackles’ and Padalecki’s curled up on the lawn. Katie and Allie played with the dogs while Josh bickered with the two sisters over a game of Monopoly. Jared was curled up between Jensen’s legs while his boyfriend rested against a tree. “It’s pretty out.”   
“It is,” Jensen agreed.  His arm ran up and down Jared’s arm soothingly and Jared melted into his embrace. “I like the stars.”   
“Me too.” Jared held Jensen palm and traced a circle in it. “I used to watch the stars every night.”  
“We can do that,” Jensen offered. “I have a nice backyard. Maybe we can get a picnic table like my parents have, or maybe have a balcony installed in our bedroom. We have that huge window, too.”   
Jared smiled dreamily. “That would be nice. Imagine, every night, the two of us watching the stars. Ooh, and we could have ice cream. And s’mores!” Jensen introduced Jared to s’mores at the last barbecue and Jared decided that they were better than even apple pie.

“Well, we can’t always have s’mores. But they make s’mores ice cream, so maybe we can get some of that.”

Jared’s mouth watered. “That sounds _amazing_.”

Jensen nosed at Jared’s hair and kissed his ear. “Jay?”

“Yeah?” Jared twisted his head to look at Jensen. Jensen rubbed their noses together and

“Do you remember when we first met and you asked me what I would do if I could do anything in the entire world?” Jensen asked.

Jared remembered. Jensen hated his job and looked exhausted every time he came home. Jensen was much happier now that he’d cut back on his office hours. “Yeah, I remember.”   
 “I know what I would do,” Jensen told Jared. “I know now. If I could do anything in the entire world, _have_ anything in the entire world, it would be spending the rest of my life with you. I don’t care about a job. I just want to be with you.”

Jared’s heart inflated like a balloon. “Out of _everything_?”

“Everything in the world, baby.” Jensen nipped Jared’s ear and Jared wiggled happily in his arms.

“Do you ever think that will change?” Jared asked. He hoped Jensen’s answer would be no.

“Of course not.” Jensen ruffled Jared’s hair. “You’re it. You, and those four crazy mutts we thought it was a good idea to adopt.”

“I love them,” Jared mumbled. He was full on good food and happy memories, curled up in the warmth of his boyfriend. The stars were lulling him to sleep. “I’m happy.”   
“Yeah, I am too.” Jared felt Jensen kiss his head. “C’mon, baby. Just watch the stars.”

And Jared did.


End file.
